1994 in New Zealand

The following lists events that happened during 1994 in New Zealand.

Population

Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,648,300.
Increase since 31 December 1993: 50,400 (1.40%).
Males per 100 Females: 97.2.

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

Head of State – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – The Hon Dame Catherine Tizard, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, QSO

Government

The 44th New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was The National Party, led by Jim Bolger.

Speaker of the House – Peter Tapsell
Prime Minister – Jim Bolger
Deputy Prime Minister – Don McKinnon
Minister of Finance – Bill Birch
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Don McKinnon
Chief Justice — Sir Thomas Eichelbaum

Opposition leaders

See: Category:Parliament of New Zealand, New Zealand elections

Act – Roger Douglas
New Zealand First – Winston Peters
United Future – TBD
Labour – Helen Clark (Leader of the Opposition)
Progressives – TBD

Main centre leaders

Mayor of Auckland – Les Mills
Mayor of Hamilton – Margaret Evans
Mayor of Wellington – Fran Wilde
Mayor of Christchurch – Vicki Buck
Mayor of Dunedin – Richard Walls

Events

8 February: A fire on Ridgway Street in Whanganui destroys six heritage buildings.
18 June: A magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes 5 kilometres south-west of Arthur's Pass, Canterbury.
20 June: Robin and Margaret Bain and three of their four children – Arawa, Laniet, and Stephen – were shot to death in Dunedin. The Bain Family Murder case has been described as "the most widely discussed and divisive in New Zealand's criminal history".

13 August: By-election in Selwyn after the National MP Ruth Richardson retired from politics. David Carter retained the seat for National.
17 September: Anne-Maree Ellens was murdered in Christchurch. Michael October (he later changed his name to Mikaere Oketopa) was later convicted of murdering her. The Criminal Cases Review Commission sent the case back to the Court of Appeal of New Zealand in 2023 for it to be reconsidered over "strong concerns with the police investigation, and his convictions".
October: Māori activist Mike Smith attempts to cut down the tree on Auckland's Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill as a protest against government economic policies.

Arts and literature

Christine Johnston wins the Robert Burns Fellowship

See 1994 in art, 1994 in literature, Category:1994 books

Music

New Zealand Music Awards

Winners are shown first with nominees underneath.

Album of the Year: Straitjacket Fits – Blow
- Strawpeople – World Service
- The 3Ds – Venus Trail
Single of the Year: Headless Chickens – Juice / Chopper
- Strawpeople – Love Explodes
- Straitjacket Fits – Cat Inna Can
Best Male Vocalist: Shayne Carter (Straitjacket Fits)
- Jon Toogood (Shihad)
- Chris Matthews
Best Female Vocalist: Fiona McDonald (Headless Chickens)
- Annie Crummer
- Shona Laing
Best Group: Headless Chickens
- Strawpeople
- Straitjacket Fits
Most Promising Male Vocalist: Matty J (Matty J and the Soul Syndicate)
- Michael Gregg & Brendan Gregg
- Jason Ioasa
Most Promising Female Vocalist: Emma Paki
- Jan Preston
- Rima Te Wiata
Most Promising Group: Urban Disturbance
- Holy Toledos
- 3Ds
International Achievement: Crowded House
- Straitjacket Fits
- Headless Chickens
Best Video: Matt Noonan / Josh Frizzell – System Virtue (Emma Paki)
- Fane Flaws – The Beautiful Things (Front Lawn)
- Johnny Ogilvie – Mr Moon (Headless Chickens)
Best Producer: Strawpeople – World Service
- Stuart Pearce – Pacifico (Kantuta)
- Jaz Coleman – Churn (Shihad)
Best Engineer: Malcolm Welsford – Churn (Shihad)
- Malcolm Wellsford – You Gotta Know (Supergroove)
- Graeme Myhre – Travellin' On (Midge Marsden)
Best Jazz Album: Freebass – Raw
- Bluespeak – Late Last Night
- Nairobi Trio – Through The Clouds
Best Classical Album: Dame Malvina Major – Casta Diva
- NZ Symphony Orchestra – The Three Symphonies/ Douglas Lilburn
- Tamas Vesmas – Eastern European Piano Music
Best Country Album: Al Hunter – The Singer
- The Warratahs – Big Sky
- Patsy Riggir – My Little Corner of the World
Best Folk Album: Steve McDonald – Sons of Somerled
- Adam Bell – Summerland
- Beverly Young – It's Then I Wish
Best Gospel Album: Stephen Bell-Booth – Undivided
- Woodford House Chapel Choir – Celebration
- Monica O'Hagan – His Love
- Andrew & Saskia Smith – The Gemcutter
Polynesian Album of the Year: Pasifik MX – Manuiri
- Andre Tapena – It's Raro
- Mana – Mana
Best Songwriter: Emma Paki – System Virtue
- Stephen Bell-Booth – Undivided
- Greg Johnson – Winter Song
Best Cover: Brett Graham – Te Rangatahi
- Johnny Pain & Jonathan King – Drinking With Judas (Hallelujah Picassos)
- Chris Knox – Duck Shaped Pain and Gum

See: 1994 in music

Radio and television

4 March: Australian police drama Blue Heelers comes to New Zealand when the series begins screening on TV One.
4 April: US children's television series Barney & Friends first airs on TV2.
27 April: US science fiction drama The X-Files makes its New Zealand television debut on TV2.
19 July: Australian children's cartoon series The Adventures of Blinky Bill begins airing on TV2 in New Zealand (the same country where the author of the books Dorothy Wall was born).
4 September: British children's animation based on the books by Sarah Ferguson Budgie the Little Helicopter appears on New Zealand television screens for the first time on TV3. It was also the first British cartoon to air on TV3 as well as making the New Zealand the first country outside of the UK to broadcast it.
8 September: Acclaimed British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends screens on TV2 as a stand alone for the very last time.
19 October: The last broadcast of Goodnight Kiwi on TV2.
3 December: Orange, a brand new general entertainment channel is launched by Sky.
3 December: Long running children's Saturday morning series What Now has its final broadcast for 1994 on TV2.
TV 2 begins 24-hour/7-day programming.
Newstalk ZB begins broadcasting nationwide.
The Classic Hits brand is rolled out nationwide when heritage stations operated by Radio New Zealand are rebranded as Classic Hits originally retaining local programming.

See: List of TVNZ television programming, TV3 (New Zealand), Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Film

Bread and Roses
Heavenly Creatures
Once Were Warriors

See: Category:1994 film awards, 1994 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1994 films

Internet

See: NZ Internet History

Sport

Athletics

Paul Smith wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:19:12 on 30 April in Rotorua, while Nyla Carroll claims her first in the women's championship (2:37:37).

Basketball

The NBL was won by Nelson

Commonwealth Games

Cricket

Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team, Chappell–Hadlee Trophy, Cricket World Cup

Golf

New Zealand Open, Check Category:New Zealand golfers in overseas tournaments.

Horse racing

Harness racing

New Zealand Trotting Cup: Bee Bee Cee
Auckland Trotting Cup: Chokin – 2nd win

Thoroughbred racing

Netball: Silver Ferns, National Bank Cup, Netball World Championships

Olympic Games

New Zealand sends a team of seven competitors in two sports.

Paralympic Games

New Zealand sends a team of seven competitors in one sport.

Rugby league

The Lion Red Cup competition was introduced, with 12 teams participating. The Counties Manukau Heroes were the Minor Premiers, but were beaten 24–16 in the Grand Final by the North Harbour Sea Eagles.
Canterbury rugby league team retained the Rugby League Cup throughout the season.
16 October, New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 28-12
27 October, New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 30-16

Rugby union

Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, Rugby Union World Cup, National Provincial Championship, Category:All Blacks, Bledisloe Cup, Tri Nations Series, Ranfurly Shield

Shooting

Ballinger Belt –
- Andy Luckman (United Kingdom)
- John Whiteman (Upper Hutt), sixth, top New Zealander

Soccer

The Superclub competition was won by North Shore United
The Chatham Cup is won by Waitakere City who beat Wellington Olympic 1–0 in the final.