The following lists events that happened during 2021 in New Zealand.
Incumbents
Regal and vice-regal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Patsy Reddy until 28 September, and then Cindy Kiro from 21 October
Government
Legislature term: 53rd New Zealand Parliament
The Sixth Labour Government, elected in 2020, continues. Speaker of the House – Trevor Mallard Prime Minister – Jacinda Ardern Deputy Prime Minister – Grant Robertson Leader of the House – Chris Hipkins Minister of Finance – Grant Robertson Minister of Foreign Affairs – Nanaia Mahuta
Other party leaders in parliament National – Judith Collins until 25 November, then Christopher Luxon from 30 November (leader of the Opposition) Green – James Shaw and Marama Davidson ACT – David Seymour Māori Party – Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
Judiciary Chief Justice – Helen Winkelmann President of the Court of Appeal – Stephen Kós Chief High Court judge – Susan Thomas Chief District Court judge – Heemi Taumaunu
Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Phil Goff Mayor of Tauranga – Tina Salisbury (acting), then Anne Tolley (as chair of commissioners) from 9 February Mayor of Hamilton – Paula Southgate Mayor of Wellington – Andy Foster Mayor of Christchurch – Lianne Dalziel Mayor of Dunedin – Aaron Hawkins
Events
January 29 December 2020 to 3 January – Riots between inmates and prison guards at Waikeria Prison, causing major fire damage to the complex. 1 January – A bomb threat closes Gisborne Airport, causing evacuations and delayed flights.
February 2 February – Lead is found in water of two Otago towns, Waikouaiti and Karitane. 9 February: Māori Party co-leader and Member of Parliament Rawiri Waititi is not allowed to speak because he was wearing a traditional pendant rather than a tie. The Minister of Local Government appoints a Crown commission chaired by Anne Tolley to take over all of Tauranga City Council's governance responsibilities, including the vacant position of mayor. 13 February – The Government pays NZ$40 million in compensation to 212 kiwifruit orchardists and Te Puke–based post harvest operator Seeka in order to settle a class action lawsuit alleging that the Government was liable for losses caused by a Pseudomonas syringae (PSA) outbreak in 2010. 15 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 3, while the rest of New Zealand moves to Alert Level 2. 17 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 2 from midnight while the rest of New Zealand reverts to Alert Level 1 from midnight. 21 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 at midnight. 27 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves back into an Alert Level 3 lockdown for the next seven days while the rest of New Zealand moves back to an Alert Level 2.
March 2 March – the Government announces a review into drug-purchasing agency Pharmac's timeliness and decision-making process. 5 March: A tsunami warning is issued following a 7.1 M earthquake at 2.27 am near East Cape and Gisborne. A 7.4M earthquake at 6.40am hits the Kermadec Islands. A tsunami threat and warning is issued for New Zealand after a 8.1 M earthquake in the Kermadec Islands. The Beehive Bunker has been activated. Tsunami land threat was dropped at 1.20pm by GNS to a beach and marine threat. The national tsunami advisory was later dropped at 3.43pm. COVID-19 in New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern announces that Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 lockdown from Alert Level 3, with the rest of New Zealand moving down to Alert Level 1, at 6am, on 7 March. The Ardern ministry will review the alert level of Auckland at the start of the weekend following the alert downgrade. 7 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 2, with the rest of New Zealand moving to Alert Level 1. 12 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 at midday.
April 19 April – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Quarantine-free travel with Australia begins. April – New Zealand's longest running television advertisement of Auckland Glass stops. It first aired in 1996.
May 10 May – Four people are injured during a stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in central Dunedin. 17 May – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Quarantine-free travel with the Cook Islands begins. 20 May – The 2021 Budget is delivered. 24 May – Dame Cindy Kiro is announced as the next Governor-General. 30 May – A state of emergency is announced in Ashburton, Selwyn and Timaru districts as torrential rain hits the Canterbury region.
June 7 June – The 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours are announced. 19 June – A tornado hit the southern Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe, killing one man and injuring two others. 22 June – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand pauses the travel bubble with New South Wales as cases of COVID-19 surge in Sydney. 23 June – COVID-19 in New Zealand: The Wellington Region moves to Alert Level 2, following a positive case of the delta variant who flew to Wellington from Sydney. No outbreak occurred. 29 June – A state of emergency is declared in Wellington due to "coastal hazards".
July 2 July – The government releases the dates of the Matariki public holiday for the next thirty years. 16 July: A state of emergency is declared in the Buller District due to flooding. An emergency is declared in Marlborough the following day. Farming advocacy group Groundswell NZ stage the nationwide "Howl of a Protest" campaign to protest the Government's freshwater, biodiversity, winter grazing, climate change, and Clean Car Package rebate scheme. 23 July – New Zealand athletes begin competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
August 8 August – New Zealand athletes finish competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics. 17 August – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand enters Alert Level 4, following a positive case of the Delta Variant of COVID-19 in Auckland. 24 August to 5 September – Athletes compete at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
September 1 September – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand except for Auckland and Northland moved to Alert Level 3. 3 September – Seven people are injured during a stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in LynnMall, West Auckland. The attacker was shot and killed by police. 8 September – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand except for Auckland moved to Alert Level 2. 14 September – The Māori Party () launch a petition to rename the official name of the nation to Aotearoa and restore Māori placenames by 2026. 16 September – Three daughters are murdered by their mother, Lauren Dickason. September – The average New Zealand house price passes $1 million for the first time.
October 21 October: Dame Cindy Kiro is sworn in as the 22nd Governor-General of New Zealand. Prime Minister Ardern announces an agreement on a New Zealand–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, promising zero-tariffs and a $970m economic boost. October – The last demolition in Christchurch's residential red zone is completed.
November
4 November – A state of emergency is declared in Tairawhiti due to flooding. 25 November – Judith Collins loses a confidence vote as leader of the National Party after her handling over a historic allegation regarding Simon Bridges. Shane Reti becomes interim leader. 30 November – Christopher Luxon is elected leader of the National Party.
December 2 December – COVID-19 in New Zealand: The alert level system is dropped in favour of the new traffic light system at 11:59 pm. Northland, Auckland, Taupō, Rotorua, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki, Gisborne, Wairoa, Whanganui and Ruapehu regions initially moved to 'Red' while the rest of the country was moved into 'Orange.'. 16 December – The 2021 New Zealand bravery awards are announced. 31 December – The 2022 New Year Honours are announced.
Holidays and observances Public holidays in New Zealand in 2021 are as follows:
1 January – New Year's Day 2 January – Day after New Year's Day 4 January – Day after New Year's Day observed 6 February – Waitangi Day 8 February – Waitangi Day observed 2 April – Good Friday 5 April – Easter Monday 25 April – Anzac Day 26 April – Anzac Day observed 7 June – Queen's Birthday 25 October – Labour Day 25 December – Christmas Day 26 December – Boxing Day 27 December – Christmas Day observed 28 December – Boxing Day observed
Sports
Horse racing
Harness racing Auckland Cup – cancelled due to COVID-19 New Zealand Cup – Copy That Rowe Cup – Sundees Son
Thoroughbred racing Auckland Cup – Ocean Billy New Zealand Cup – Mondorani Wellington Cup – Waisake
Olympics
New Zealand sends a team of 225 competitors across 21 sports. {| class="wikitable" |- ! !! !! !! Total |- style="text-align:center;" | 7 || 6 || 7 || 20
Paralympics
{| class="wikitable" |- ! !! !! !! Total |- style="text-align:center;" | 6 || 3 || 3 || 12
Rowing New Zealand Secondary School Championships (Maadi Cup) Maadi Cup (boys' U18 eight) – Christ's College Levin Jubilee Cup (girls' U18 eight) – Rangi Ruru Girls' School Star Trophy (overall points) – Rangi Ruru Girls' School
Shooting Ballinger Belt – Mike Collings (Te Puke)
Births 18 September – Willydoit, Thoroughbred racehorse
Deaths
January 6 January – Alan Burgess, cricketer (Canterbury), world's oldest living first-class cricketer (since 2020) (born 1920). 8 January John Hicks, Olympic field hockey player (1968) (born 1938). Stewart McKnight, cricketer (Otago) and curler (born 1935). 12 January – John Ward, cricketer (Canterbury, national team) (born 1937). 15 January – Bill Whitehead, rugby league manager (born 1931). 17 January – Tom Prebble, educationalist and university administrator (Massey University) (born 1945). 18 January – Ash Gardiner, rugby union player (Taranaki, national team) (born 1946). 20 January Doug Bowden, cricketer (Central Districts) (born 1927). Bill Sheat, lawyer and arts advocate (born 1930). 23 January – Phil Bishop, herpetologist (University of Otago) (born 1957). 26 January Ben Te Haara, Māori Anglican priest, Bishop of Te Tai Tokerau (1992–2001) (born 1932). Peter Thorburn, rugby union player (Auckland) and coach (North Harbour, national sevens team, United States national team) (born 1939). Peter Vere-Jones, actor (Pukemanu, Shortland Street, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) (born 1939). 30 January – Bill Hammond, artist (born 1947).
February 3 February – Peter Nicholls, sculptor (Toroa) (born 1936). 4 February – Solomon Faine, microbiologist (Monash University) (born 1926). 6 February – Bruce Taylor, cricketer (Canterbury, Wellington, national team) (born 1943). 22 February – Peter Rattray, cricketer (Canterbury) (born 1958).
March 3 March – Jonathan Temm, lawyer, president of the New Zealand Law Society (2010–2013), Queen's Counsel (since 2019) (born 1962). 5 March – Francis Small, civil engineer and scouting leader, managing director of New Zealand Rail / Tranz Rail (1972–2000), president of IPENZ (1996–1997), Bronze Wolf Award (1999) (born 1946). 12 March – Avenal McKinnon, art historian and writer, director of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery (2005–2014) (born 1949). 15 March – Miriama Rauhihi Ness, Māori activist (Ngā Tamatoa, Polynesian Panthers) and social worker (born 1951). 18 March – David Braithwaite, property developer and local politician, Mayor of Hamilton (2001–2004) (born 1937).
April 3 April – John Edgar, sculptor and medallist (born 1950). 8 April – John da Silva, Olympic (1956) and British Empire and Commonwealth Games (1958) wrestler, boxer and youth worker (born 1934). 15 April – Leon van den Eijkel, artist (born 1940). 17 April – John Ogilvie, cricketer (Wellington) (born 1931). 18 April Mary Earle, food technologist (Massey University) (born 1929).