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1978 in New Zealand
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February 2020
1978
The following lists events that happened during 1978 in New Zealand.
Population
Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,165,200.Historical population estimates tables http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20171231000952/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx 31 December 2017 Statistics New Zealand
Change since 31 December 1977: -1,200 (-0.04%).
Males per 100 females: 99.2.
This was the first year since 1941 in which New Zealand's population declined (due to emigration, largely to Australia).August 2023
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Head of State – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – The Rt Hon. Sir Keith Holyoake KG GCMG CH QSO.Statistics New Zealand: New Zealand Official Yearbook, 1990. ISSN 0078-0170 page 52
Government
Speaker of the House – Richard Harrison.Lambert & Palenski: The New Zealand Almanac, 1982. 0-908570-55-4
Prime Minister – Robert Muldoon
Deputy Prime Minister – Brian Talboys.
Minister of Finance – Robert Muldoon.
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Brian Talboys.
Attorney-General – Peter Wilkinson until 13 December, then Jim McLay.
Chief Justice — Sir Richard Wild (until 20 January), Sir Ronald Davison (starting 3 February)
Parliamentary opposition
Leader of the Opposition – Bill Rowling (Labour).http://www.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html Elections NZ – Leaders of the Opposition 6 April 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20081017200326/http://www1.elections.org.nz/democracy/leaders-opposition.html 17 October 2008 dead dmy-all
Social Credit Party – Bruce Beetham
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – Dove-Myer Robinson
Mayor of Hamilton – Ross Jansen
Mayor of Wellington – Michael Fowler
Mayor of Christchurch – Hamish Hay
Mayor of Dunedin – Clifford George (Cliff) Skeggs
Events
The Pureora Forest Park was established after a series of protests and tree sittings.
18 February – The Rangitikei by-election was won by Bruce Beetham for Social Credit.
1 April – Flag carriers Air New Zealand and the National Airways Corporation merge to form a single airline under the Air New Zealand name.
25 April – A 506 day long Māori occupation of and protest in Bastion Point ends.Earley Melanie 2018-05-24 Dawn service marks 40 years since eviction at Bastion Point https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/104201927/dawn-service-marks-40-years-since-eviction-at-bastion-point 2023-12-12 Stuff en
12 September – Kaimai Rail Tunnel on the East Coast Main Trunk Railway, at 8896 m the longest tunnel in New Zealand, opened.
December – Holy Name Seminary, Christchurch (Catholic) closed.
Arts and literature
Barry Thomas's Vacant Lot of Cabbages was a six month long occupation that issued in a new wave in public art.Farrar Sarah 2012-11-02 ‘Vacant lot of cabbages’ documentation enters Te Papa’s archives https://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/2012/11/02/vacant-lot-of-cabbages-documentation-enters-te-papas-archives/ 2026-08-28 Te Papa’s Blog en-NZ
Roger Hall and Peter Olds win the Robert Burns Fellowship.
See 1978 in art, 1978 in literature, :Category:1978 books
January
Nambassa, three-day music, crafts and alternative lifestyles festival on Phil and Pat Hulses' 400 acre km2 on farm in Golden Valley, north of Waihi. Attendance 25,000.
October
Nambassa winter road show, toured the North Island of NZ, promoting the 1979 festival.
Music
New Zealand Music Awards
Winners were as follows:1978 Winners http://www.nzmusicawards.co.nz/2009/10/29/1978-winners/ NZ Music Awards 21 October 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20121030144242/http://www.nzmusicawards.co.nz/2009/10/29/1978-winners/ 30 October 2012 dmy
ALBUM OF THE YEAR Hello Sailor – Hello Sailor
SINGLE OF THE YEAR Golden Harvest – I Need Your Love
TOP MALE VOCALIST John Rowles
TOP GROUP Hello Sailor
TOP FEMALE VOCALIST Sharon O’Neill
ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Ian Morris – Hello Sailor
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Rob Aicken – Hello Sailor
MOST PROMISING GROUP Citizen Band
MOST PROMISING FEMALE VOCALIST Kim Hart
MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Dennis O’Brien
See: 1978 in music
Performing arts
Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to George Tumahai.
Radio and television
23 November – the AM broadcast band moves from 10 kHz spacing to 9 kHz spacing, in line with the Geneva Frequency Plan of 1975.22 November 1978 General amendment to radio frequencies 21 The Press https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19781122.2.131
Feltex Television Awards:
Best Current Affairs: Dateline Monday
Best Information: Fair Go
Best Documentary: Birth with R.D. Laing
Best Light Entertainment: A Week of It
Best Drama: The Governor
Best Speciality: Sport on One
Best Actor: David McPhail on A Week of It
Best Personality: Roger Gascoigne
Best Script: He Iwi Ko Tahi Tatou: episode four of The Governor
See: 1978 in New Zealand television, 1978 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, :Category:Television in New Zealand, :Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
Angel Mine
Skin Deep
See: :Category:1978 film awards, 1978 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1978 films
Sport
Athletics
Paul Ballinger wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:33 on 11 March in Hastings.
Chess
The 85th New Zealand Chess Championship is held in Wellington, and is won by Craig Laird of Tauranga.List of New Zealand Chess Champions https://web.archive.org/web/20081014052518/http://www.poisonpawn.co.nz/nzcftitles.htm 14 October 2008
Commonwealth Games
New Zealand at the 1978 Commonwealth Games
Total 5 6 9 20
Cricket
15 February: After 48 years of trying, New Zealand beats England in a Test match for the first time, winning the Test at the Basin Reserve.nzhistory.net.nz
Horse racing
Harness racing
New Zealand Trotting Cup: Trusty Scothttp://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm List of NZ Trotting cup winners 6 May 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20120222233106/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/nz_trotting_cup.htm 22 February 2012 dead dmy-all
Auckland Trotting Cup: Sole Command. From 1978–86 the race was over 2700m and there was no handicapping.Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz https://web.archive.org/web/20090617211531/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm 17 June 2009
Soccer
New Zealand National Soccer League won by Christchurch United
The Chatham Cup is won by Manurewa who beat Nelson United 1–0 in the final.Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com https://web.archive.org/web/20090314234154/http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html 14 March 2009
Births
2 January: Dan Ward-Smith, rugby union player
5 January: Adi Dick, musician.
21 January (in the United States): Mike Chappell, basketballer.
3 February: Keith Cameron, rugby union player.Keith Cameron profile https://web.archive.org/web/20090819090824/http://www.otagorugbyteam.co.nz/page.pasp?pageid=116 19 August 2009
26 February: Rico Gear, rugby union player.
8 April: Nathan Mauger, rugby union player.
29 April: Donna Loffhagen, netball and basketball player.
19 May: Willie Walker, rugby union player.
28 May: John Dennison, poet.
1 June: Ben Lummis, singer and winner of New Zealand Idol (season 1).
11 June: Daryl Tuffey, cricketer.
4 July: Bianca Russell, field hockey player.
6 July: Kevin Senio, rugby union player.
12 July: Claire Chitham, actor.
26 July: David Kosoof, field hockey player.
28 July: Jacob Oram, cricketer.
14 August (in South Africa): Greg Rawlinson, rugby union player.
5 September:
Chris Hipkins, politician.
Chris Jack, rugby union player.
13 September: Andrew Hore, rugby union player.
18 September: Iain Lees-Galloway, politician.
21 September: Doug Howlett, rugby union player.
10 October: Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell (twins), rowers, Olympic gold medallists (2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing)
26 October: Ricky Cockerill, figure skater.
6 November: Dean Kent, swimmer.
11 November: Lou Vincent, cricketer.
19 November (in Australia): Mahé Drysdale, rower, Olympic gold medallist (2012 London)
21 November: Paul Urlovic, soccer player.
William Dwane Bell, convicted murderer.
Mok TzeMing, writer.
:Category:1978 births
Deaths
6 January: Burt Munro, record-setting motorcyclist
30 March: Sir Charles William Hamilton (Bill Hamilton), inventor of the jetboat.
13 May: Alby Roberts, cricketer.
22 May: Sir Richard Wild, 9th Chief Justice of New Zealand.
23 July: Sir Ronald Algie, politician and former Speaker of the House of Representatives.
18 August: Ronald L. Meek, economist.
John Hutton, glass engraver
:Category:1978 deaths
See also
List of years in New Zealand
Timeline of New Zealand history
History of New Zealand
Military history of New Zealand
Timeline of the New Zealand environment
Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
References
External links
1978 in yes
New Zealand
Category:Years of the 20th century in New Zealand