The following lists events that happened during 2016 in New Zealand.
Population National Estimated populations as at 30 June. For urban areas, New Zealand total – 4,693,000 North Island – 3,596,200 South Island – 1,096,200
Main urban areas Estimated populations as at 30 June.
Auckland – 1,495,000 Blenheim – 30,700 Christchurch – 389,700 Dunedin – 118,500 Gisborne – 36,100 Hamilton – 229,900 Invercargill – 50,700 Kapiti – 41,800 Napier-Hastings – 131,000 Nelson – 65,700 New Plymouth – 56,800 Palmerston North – 84,300 Rotorua – 57,800 Tauranga – 134,500 Wellington – 405,000 Whanganui – 39,600 Whangārei – 56,400
Incumbents
Regal and vice-regal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Jerry Mateparae until 31 August, then Patsy Reddy from 28 September.
Government 2016 is the second full year of the 51st Parliament, which first sat on 21 October 2014.
The Fifth National Government, first elected in 2008, continues.
Speaker of the House – David Carter Prime Minister – John Key (until 12 December), then Bill English Deputy Prime Minister – Bill English (until 12 December), then Paula Bennett Leader of the House – Gerry Brownlee Minister of Finance – Bill English, then (from 20 December) Steven Joyce Minister of Foreign Affairs – Murray McCully
Other party leaders in parliament Labour – Andrew Little Green – James Shaw and Metiria Turei New Zealand First – Winston Peters Māori Party – Te Ururoa Flavell and Marama Fox ACT New Zealand – David Seymour United Future – Peter Dunne
Judiciary Chief Justice – Sian Elias President of the Court of Appeal – Ellen France, and then Stephen Kós from 22 July Chief High Court judge – Geoffrey Venning Chief District Court judge – Jan-Marie Doogue
Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Len Brown, then from 1 November Phil Goff Mayor of Tauranga – Stuart Crosby, then from 31 October Greg Brownless Mayor of Hamilton – Julie Hardaker, then from 9 November Andrew King Mayor of Wellington – Celia Wade-Brown, then from 26 October Justin Lester Mayor of Christchurch – Lianne Dalziel Mayor of Dunedin – Dave Cull
Events
February 8 February – Operation Neptune begins. 14 February – A significant aftershock in Christchurch causes some cliffs to collapse.
March 3–24 March – Second referendum on changing the country's flag – existing flag retained. 11 March – Parliament passes legislation to outlaw zero-hour contracts.
April 18 April – The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority is disestablished. June 6 June – The 2016 Queen's Birthday Honours are announced. August 5–21 August – 132 athletes from New Zealand compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
September 2 September – A 7.1 magnitude earthquake strikes north-east of Te Araroa.
October 8 October – The 2016 local elections are held.
November 14 November – A MW 7.8 earthquake strikes Kaikōura at midnight, killing two people. 22 November – Operation Neptune ends.
December 5 December – John Key announces that he will step down as prime minister and leader of the National Party on 12 December. 12 December – Bill English is sworn in as New Zealand's 39th prime minister, following the resignation of John Key. 15 December – Amazon Prime Video launches in New Zealand. 31 December – The 2017 New Year Honours are announced.
Arts and literature
Performing arts Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Suzanne Prentice.
Sport
Halberg Awards 54th Halberg Awards (awarded 9 February 2017 for the 2016 calendar year) Supreme Award – Lisa Carrington (canoeing) Sportsman of the Year – Mahé Drysdale (rowing) Sportswoman of the Year – Lisa Carrington (canoeing) Team of the Year – Men's 49er class: Peter Burling & Blair Tuke (sailing) Disabled Sportsperson of the Year – Liam Malone (athletics) Coach of the Year – Gordon Walker (canoeing) Emerging Talent – Campbell Stewart (cycling)
Olympics
New Zealand sends a team of 199 competitors across 20 sports. Sprint canoeist Lisa Carrington becomes the first New Zealand women to win two medals in the same Olympic Games. {| class="wikitable" |- ! !! !! !! Total |- style="text-align:center;" | 4 || 9 || 5 || 18
Paralympics
Swimmer Sophie Pascoe overtakes Eve Rimmer to become New Zealand's most successful Paralympian in terms of medals won. {| class="wikitable" |- ! !! !! !! Total |- style="text-align:center;" | 9 || 5 || 7 || 21
Rowing New Zealand Secondary School Championships (Maadi Cup) Maadi Cup (boys U18 eight) – Christ's College Levin 75th Jubilee Cup (girls U18 eight) – Diocesan School for Girls Star Trophy (overall points) – St Peter's School (Cambridge)
Shooting Ballinger Belt – Malcolm Dodson (Kaituna/Blenheim)
Winter Youth Olympics
New Zealand sends a team of 11 competitors in five sports. {| class="wikitable" |- ! !! !! !! Total |- style="text-align:center;" | 0 || 1 || 1 || 2
Births 6 November – Probabeel, Thoroughbred racehorse 15 November – Copy That, Standardbred racehorse
Deaths
January 2 January – Tim Francis, diplomat (born 1928) 5 January – Keith Thiele, World War II pilot (born 1921) 7 January – David Shale, mathematician (born 1932) 8 January – Ida Gaskin, schoolteacher, quiz show contestant, politician (born 1919) 17 January Melvin Day, artist (born 1923) Jules Le Lievre, rugby union player (born 1933) 22 January – Alec Wishart, musician (born 1939) 23 January – Barry Brickell, potter (born 1935) 24 January – Neville Black, rugby union and rugby league player (born 1925) 26 January – Bob Thomas, long jumper (born 1939) 27 January – Shirley Tonkin, sudden infant death syndrome researcher (born 1921) 28 January Rob Courtney, Paralympic athlete (born 1959) Peter Robinson, musician (born 1958) Bob Tizard, politician, deputy prime minister (1974–75) (born 1924) 31 January Mere Broughton, Māori language activist, unionist (born 1938) Rona McCarthy, athlete (born 1916)
February 1 February – Kelly McGarry, mountain biker (born 1982) 2 February Chris Kenny, boxing trainer (born 1937) Marcus Turner, singer-songwriter, folk musician, television presenter (born 1956) 4 February – Jim Higgins, politician, Mayor of Tokoroa (1966–1979) (born 1931) 7 February – Andrew Hintz, cricketer (born 1963) 10 February – John Spencer, businessman (born 1934) 13 February – Barry Jones, Catholic Bishop of Christchurch (born 1941) 17 February – Sophia Hawthorne, actress (born 1976) 23 February – George Newton, weightlifter (born 1936) 24 February – Ken English, rugby league player (born 1927) 26 February – Jack Forrest, rugby league player (born 1924) 28 February – Bob Morrison, association footballer (born 1926) 29 February – Ranginui Walker, Māori academic (born 1932)
March 3 March – Martin Crowe, cricketer (born 1962) 4 March – Harry Turbott, architect, landscape architect, environmentalist (born 1930) 5 March – David Abbott, cricket umpire (born 1934) 10 March – Judy Pickard, abstract painter, librarian and advocate for women's rights (born 1921) 11 March – Sel Belsham, rugby league player, cricketer (born 1930) 16 March – George Menzies, rugby league player and coach (born 1930) 18 March – Paul Swadel, film director and producer (born 1969) 19 March – Graham Fortune, diplomat and public servant (born 1941) 25 March – Ross Jennings, television producer and director (born 1944) 27 March – Frank Torley, television reporter, director and producer (born 1941) 31 March – Mark Vryenhoek, alpine skier (born 1960)
April 3 April Rowley Habib, poet, playwright, short-story writer (born 1933) Whai Ngata, broadcaster, journalist, lexicographer (born 1942) 4 April – Maida Bryant, politician, community leader (born 1926) 7 April – Matiu Dickson, politician, kapa haka exponent (born 1952) 11 April – Ruth Gilbert, poet (born 1917) 12 April – Alan Loveday, violinist (born 1928) 13 April – Kurtis Haiu, rugby union player (born 1984) 14 April – Colin Knight, educationalist (born 1934) 22 April Rex Fell, Thoroughbred racehorse breeder (born 1945) Peter Sellers, sports broadcaster (born 1921) 23 April – Bill Sevesi, musician (born 1923) 24 April – Paul Annear, jeweller (born 1947) 27 April – Chris Parkinson, broadcaster (born 1941)
May 3 May – Ian Quigley, politician (born 1931) 13 May – David Garner, physical oceanographer (born 1928) 18 May – Ian Watkin, actor (born 1940) 21 May – Tony Kriletich, rugby league player (born 1944) 25 May – Bob Sorenson, rugby union player and coach, cricketer (born 1923)
June 1 June – Leonard Boyle, bishop (born 1930) 2 June Keith Lawrence, World War II fighter pilot (born 1919) Brian Reidy, rugby league player (born 1939) 4 June – Bill Snowden, rugby league player (born 1935) 6 June – Keith Smith, cricketer (born 1929) 7 June – Sir Graham Latimer, Māori leader (born 1926) 9 June – Joyce Carpenter, diver (born 1923) 10 June – Derek Wilson, architect and environmentalist (born 1922) 15 June – David Hall, chemistry academic (born 1928) 16 June – Pat Suggate, geologist (born 1922) 21 June – Susanna Ounei, Kanak independence activist, feminist (born 1945) 23 June – Roy Crawford, mechanical engineering academic, university administrator (born 1949) 25 June – Jack Cropp, yachtsman (born 1927) 27 June – Dame Grace Hollander, community leader (born 1922) 29 June – Maurie Gordon, sport shooter (born 1926)
July 5 July Johnny Borland, high jumper, athletics administrator (born 1925) Max Carr, field athlete and coach, athletics official, air force officer (born 1922) Rex Pickering, rugby union player (born 1936) 14 July Ivan Bootham, writer, composer (born 1939) Hallard "Snow" White, rugby union player, coach and administrator (born 1929) 19 July – Ray Bell, rugby union player (born 1925) 20 July Dick Corballis, English literature academic (born 1946) Ray Moreton, rugby union player (born 1942) 21 July – Sid Hurst, farmer (born 1918) 22 July – Lee Grant, actor, singer, choreographer (born 1931) 26 July – Henry Connor, botanist (born 1922) 30 July – Peter Gossage, author and illustrator (born 1946)
August 2 August – Terence Bayler, actor (born 1930) 3 August – Chris Amon, motor racing driver (born 1943) 5 August – Don Donnithorne, architect (born 1926) 7 August – Sir Ron Scott, sports administrator (born 1928) 11 August – Sir Ian Turbott, diplomat, university administrator (born 1922) 19 August – Bob Skelton, jockey (born 1934) 22 August – Don McIver, military leader, public servant (born 1936) 24 August – Glen Evans, politician, mayor of Lower Hutt (1986–95) (born 1936) 29 August – Edward Latter, military officer, politician, diplomat (born 1928) 30 August – Brian Robinson, inorganic chemist (born 1940)
September 1 September – Sir Graeme Douglas, businessman, pharmacist, philanthropist (born 1929) 4 September – Ross McPherson, field hockey player, cricketer (born 1938) 7 September – Don "D. J." Cameron, sports journalist (born 1933) 11 September – Let's Elope, Thoroughbred racehorse (foaled 1987) 16 September – Reese Griffiths, rugby league player (born 1937) 19 September – Margaret Baird, immunologist (born 1945) 23 September Arnold Green, rugby league player (born 1933) Bill Johnson, actor (born 1924)
October 1 October Brian Bell, ornithologist (born 1930) Toni Williams, singer (born 1939) 3 October – David Donald, cricketer (born 1933) 4 October – Peggy Hay, designer (born 1924) 14 October Avis Higgs, textile designer, painter (born 1918) Helen Kelly, trade unionist (born 1964) 15 October Doug Anderson, rugby league player (born 1926) Octagonal, Thoroughbred racehorse (foaled 1992) 21 October – Wally Argus, rugby union player (born 1921) 24 October – Roger Slack, plant biologist and biochemist (born 1937) 29 October – Tom Weal, politician (born 1929) 30 October – Reg Boorman, politician (born 1935)
November 11 November – Sir James McNeish, writer (born 1931)