2012 in New Zealand

none January 2026 October 2017 2012 The following lists events that happened during 2012 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 4,425,900.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 Increase since 31 December 2011: 26,400 (0.60%). Males per 100 Females: 95.7. Incumbents Regal and vice-regal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Jerry MateparaeLt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae https://web.archive.org/web/20120603173912/http://gg.govt.nz/content/biography-lt-gen-rt-hon-sir-jerry-mateparae 3 June 2012 . Governor-General of New Zealand. Retrieved 8 June 2012 Government 2012 is the first full year of the 50th Parliament, which first sat on 20 December 2011 and will dissolve on 17 December 2014 if not dissolved prior. The Fifth National Government, first elected in 2008, continues. Speaker of the House – Lockwood Smith Prime Minister – John Key Deputy Prime Minister – Bill English Leader of the House – Gerry Brownlee Minister of Finance – Bill English Minister of Foreign Affairs – Murray McCully Other Party leaders Labour – David Shearer (Leader of the Opposition) Green – Russel Norman and Metiria Turei New Zealand First – Winston Peters Māori Party – Pita Sharples and Tariana Turia Judiciary Chief Justice – Sian Elias President of the Court of Appeal – Mark O'Regan Chief High Court judge – Helen Winkelmann Chief District Court judge – Jan-Marie Doogue Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Len Brown Mayor of Tauranga – Stuart Crosby Mayor of Hamilton -Julie Hardaker Mayor of Wellington – Celia Wade-Brown Mayor of Christchurch – Bob Parker Mayor of Dunedin – Dave Cull Events January 7 January – A hot air balloon crashes near Carterton in the Wairarapa, killing all eleven on board. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10777246 11 dead in hot air balloon tragedy The New Zealand Herald 7 January 2012 7 January 2012 https://www.foxnews.com/world/hot-air-balloon-crash-kills-11-in-new-zealand/ Hot Air Balloon Crash Kills 11 in New Zealand Fox News Channel 7 January 2012 7 January 2012 10 January – The stern section of the MV Rena, grounded on a reef of the coast of Tauranga since October 2011, sinks after splitting from the bow section on 8 January, spilling cargo along the Bay of Plenty coast.http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/6232985/Split-Rena-sinking Split Rena Sinking Waikato Times (via Stuff.co.nz) Kirsty Johnston Karla Akuhata Angela Cuming Michael Daly 10 January 2012 13 January 2011 20 January – More than 70 police raid a $30 million mansion in Coatesville, north of Auckland, leased by Kim Dotcom, and arrest Dotcom and three others for internet piracy as part of the United States Department of Justice shut down of the file hosting site Megaupload.http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/digital-living/6288082/Kiwis-arrested-in-internet-piracy-bust NZ residents on piracy charges denied bail Kirsty Johnston Paloma Migone 20 January 2012 Fairfax Media (via Stuff) 22 January 2012 February 6 February – Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II's accession as Queen of New Zealand 9 February – The Department of Building and Housing issues a report saying that the Canterbury Television (CTV) Building, which collapsed during the 2011 Christchurch earthquake killing 115 people, did not meet relevant building standards when it was built in 1986. Company claims CTV building report 'inadequate' David Williams Fairfax Media (via Stuff.co.nz) 9 February 2012 http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6386946/CTV-building-did-not-meet-standards-report 10 February 2012 22 February – Thousands of people in Christchurch and across New Zealand commemorate the first anniversary of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, which killed 185 people on 22 February 2011. https://edition.cnn.com/2012/02/21/world/asia/christchurch-quake-anniversary/index.html Christchurch marks quake anniversary CNN Hilary Whiteman 21 February 2012 28 February 2012 March 2 March – It is announced that the 131-year-old landmark Christ Church Cathedral will be demolished as a result of damage from the 2011 Christchurch earthquake and subsequent aftershocks. http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/6509696/Christ-Church-Cathedral-to-be-demolished 2 March 2012 Christ Church Cathedral to be demolished Charlie Gates Christopher Moore The Press 2 March 2012 Christchurch 19 March – "Marmageddon": It is announced by manufacturer Sanitarium that the sole production line of the popular breakfast spread Marmite, of which New Zealanders eat 640 tonnes annually, had stopped in November due to earthquake damage at the Papanui, Christchurch, factory, and the company's own stocks had run out. It would be February 2013 before production resumed. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10793070 Marmite shortage spurs 'Marmageddon' fears The New Zealand Herald 19 March 2012 1 February 2013 25 March – The largest changes to the nation's road rules in 35 years sees two rules regarding priority at intersections change, including the unique left-turn verses right-turn rule. http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/new-give-way-rules-introduced-today-4795486 New give way rules introduced today Television New Zealand 25 March 2012 25 March 2012 25 March 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120325184743/http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/new-give-way-rules-introduced-today-4795486 dead April 10 April – For the first time since records began, the Easter weekend road toll period ends with no fatal road accidents. 21 April – A referendum is held in Nelson City and the Tasman District on whether the two councils should amalgamate. A majority of Nelson City vote for amalgamation, while the majority of Tasman District votes against amalgamation, resulting in the merger being rejected. http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/nelson-tasman-council-merger-voted-down-4844014 Nelson-Tasman council merger voted down Television New Zealand 21 April 2012 23 April 2012 30 April – The Ministry for Primary Industries, a merger of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of Fisheries and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority, comes into operation. May 19 May – The remains of murder victim Jayne Furlong are found at Port Waikato, 19 years after she went missing in Auckland. 24 May – Finance Minister Bill English delivers the 2012 government budget, described for the second consecutive year as a "zero" budget. The National government aims to record a $197m surplus in 2014/15, down from $1300m in the 2011 budget. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/budget-2012/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503257&objectid=10808234 'Zero' 2012 Budget aims for surplus The New Zealand Herald 24 May 2012 24 May 2012 http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/budget-2012/6975072/Budget-2012-Englishs-nickel-and-dime-Budget Budget 2012: English's nickel and dime Budget Paloma Migone Danya Levy Fairfax Media (via Stuff.co.nz) 24 May 2012 24 May 2012 June All Blacks vs Ireland rugby test matches. July 3 July – A magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes off the Taranaki coast and is widely felt across the country.Magnitude 6.2, Tue Jul 3 2012 10:36 PM https://www.geonet.org.nz/earthquake/2012p498491 30 November 2024 GeoNet Only minor damage is reported to have occurred. 27 July – 12 August – 184 New Zealand athletes in sixteen sports compete at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England, achieving six gold, two silver and five bronze medals, including the nation's 100th Olympic medal. August 5 August – The Radio Network House in Christchurch which was damaged beyond repair in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake is demolished by implosion, becoming the first building to be demolished this way in New Zealand. 6 August – Mount Tongariro in the central North Island erupts, spreading volcanic ash across the area and as far east as Hawke's Bay. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10825125 Tongariro eruption: 1km ash radius The New Zealand Herald 7 August 2012 7 August 2012 30 August – Members of Parliament votes on three options for the national legal drinking age – the existing 18 years, 20 years, or an 18 on-licence/20 off-licence split. After the 18/20 split was eliminated in the first round of voting, Parliament votes in the second round to keep the age at 18 years, with 68 votes in favour to 53. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/7583799/Status-quo-Drinking-age-stays-at-18 Status quo: Drinking age stays at 18 John Hartevelt Fairfax Media (via Stuff.co.nz) 31 August 2012 2 September 2012 http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/9/c/6/50HansD_20120830_00000020-Alcohol-Reform-Bill-In-Committee.htm https://archive.today/20130223063219/http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/9/c/6/50HansD_20120830_00000020-Alcohol-Reform-Bill-In-Committee.htm dead 23 February 2013 Alcohol Reform Bill – In Committee New Zealand Parliament 30 August 2012 2 September 2012 The payroll of 110,000 teachers and support staff in state and state-integrated schools is switched to the new Novopay system. The error-ridden system would ultimately cause thousands of pay errors, resulting in staff being overpaid, underpaid, or not paid at all, continuing into 2013. September 10 September – Weekday editions of The New Zealand Herald cease publication in broadsheet format after 150 years, switching to a compact format. 26 September – The first New Zealand ShakeOut, a national earthquake drill, is held.20 September 2012 New Zealand ShakeOut – less than 1 week to go! https://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/content/new-zealand-shakeout-less-than-1-week-to-go 18 October 2024 Weather Watch 30 September – Hawke's Bay and West Coast become the first regions to complete digital television transition, when analogue television signals are switched off at 3:00 am.http://www.goingdigital.co.nz/making-the-switch/coverage-areas-2/coverage-areas.html When is my area going digital? Going Digital 10 February 2012 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20111017073751/http://www.goingdigital.co.nz/making-the-switch/coverage-areas-2/coverage-areas.html 17 October 2011 October November 5 November – The Royal Commission report into the Pike River Mine disaster of November 2010 is released, highlighting major health and safety flaws at the Pike River coal mine and New Zealand mines in general. Minister for Labour Kate Wilkinson subsequently resigns her portfolio. 10–16 November – Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall visit the country as part of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/prince-charles-and-camilla-visit-nz-jubilee-tour-5091271 Prince Charles and Camilla to visit NZ on jubilee tour Television New Zealand 18 September 2012 18 September 2012 12 November — The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure caused by Canterbury Earthquakes delivers its final report.Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes - Royal Commission of Inquiry into Building Failure Caused by the Canterbury Earthquakes https://canterbury.royalcommission.govt.nz/ 2024-06-06 canterbury.royalcommission.govt.nzBayer Kurt 21 September 2012 CTV fraudster could be investigated https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/ctv-fraudster-could-be-investigated/J3Q52V7MJDNVEIOCOQJTYWDZ5U/ 8 June 2024 The New Zealand Herald December 6 December – A tornado hits the suburb of Hobsonville in northwestern Auckland, causing widespread damage and killing three people. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10852307 Three dead after Auckland storm and tornadoes The New Zealand Herald 6 December 2012 8 February 2013 Holidays and observances 6 February – Waitangi Day 25 April – Anzac Day 4 June – Queen's Birthday Monday 22 October – Labour Day Arts and literature Performing Arts Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Marian Burns. Television C4 to be renamed FOUR Films COMPOUND (horror film) Ghost TV Sione's 2: Unfinished Business (sequel to Sione's Wedding, 2006) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (fantasy film) The Red House (drama) Sport Events 22 July – Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic win the 2012 ANZ Championship netball final against Melbourne Vixens by 41–38 in Melbourne, becoming the first New Zealand team to win the trans-Tasman competition since its inauguration in 2008. 27 July – The 2012 Summer Olympics opens in London, United Kingdom. New Zealand sends a delegation of 184 athletes, competing in sixteen sports. 2 August – 2012 Summer Olympics: Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan claim the gold medal in the men's double sculls 3 August – 2012 Summer Olympics Hamish Bond and Eric Murray claim the gold medal in the men's pair Mahé Drysdale claims the gold medal in the men's single sculls 4 August – The Hamilton-based Chiefs win the 2012 Super Rugby final against the Sharks by 37–6 in Hamilton, claiming their first Super Rugby championship title. 10 August – 2012 Summer Olympics: Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie claim the gold medal in the women's 470 class 11 August – 2012 Summer Olympics: Lisa Carrington claims the gold medal in the women's K-1 200 metres. 12 August – The 2012 Summer Olympics closes, with New Zealand at the time claiming five gold medals, three silver medals, and five bronze medals. 13 August – Valerie Adams, who initially won the silver medal in the women's shot put, is awarded the gold medal after the initial gold medallist, Belarusian Nadzeya Ostapchuk, is stripped of her medal due to failing a drugs test. http://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-withdraws-gold-medal-from-shot-put-athlete-nadzeya-ostapchuk/172684 IOC withdraws gold medal from shot put athlete Nadzeya Ostapchuk International Olympic Committee 13 August 2012 13 August 2012 New Zealand's medal tally subsequently changes to six gold medals, two silver medals, and five bronze medals. 25 August – The All Blacks win the 2012 Bledisloe Cup after winning 22–0 over Australia in Auckland to secure two wins in the three game series. The win is New Zealand's tenth successive Bledisloe Cup win. 29 August – The 2012 Summer Paralympics opens in London, United Kingdom. New Zealand sends a delegation of 24 athletes, competing in seven sports. 30 August – 2012 Summer Paralympics: Sophie Pascoe claims the gold medal in the women's 200-metre individual medley SM10 1 September – 2012 Summer Paralympics: Sophie Pascoe claims the gold medal in the women's 100-metre butterfly S10 2 September – 2012 Summer Paralympics Phillipa Gray, with pilot Laura Thompson, claims the gold medal in the women's individual pursuit B Cameron Leslie claims the gold medal in the men's 150-metre individual medley SM4 6 September – 2012 Summer Paralympics: Sophie Pascoe claims the gold medal in the women's 100-metre freestyle S10 8 September – 2012 Summer Paralympics: Mary Fisher claims the gold medal in the women's 200-metre individual medley SM11 9 September – The 2012 Summer Olympics closes, with New Zealand claiming six gold medals, seven silver medals, and four bronze medals. 20 September – The New Zealand national netball team win the 2012 Constellation Cup, after winning 50–49 over Australia in Auckland to secure two wins in the three game series. The win is New Zealand's first Constellation Cup win since its inauguration in 2010, and New Zealand's first test series win over Australia since 2005. Olympic Games New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Olympics New Zealand sends a team of 184 competitors across 16 sports. Total 6 2 5 13 Paralympics New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Paralympics New Zealand sends a team of 24 competitors across seven sports. Total 6 7 4 17 Shooting Ballinger Belt – Brian Carter (Te Puke)http://www.nranz.com/competitions/ballinger_belt New Zealand champion shot / Ballinger Belt winners National Rifle Association of New Zealand 18 April 2014 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20150125012900/http://www.nranz.com/competitions/ballinger_belt 25 January 2015 Births 27 September – Beauty Generation, Thoroughbred racehorse 29 September – Tarzino, Thoroughbred racehorse 12 November – Lazarus, Standardbred racehorse 21 November – Etah James, Thoroughbred racehorse Deaths 30em January 4 January – Bruce Irwin, botanist (born 1921) 10 January – Harvey Kreyl, rugby league player (born 1925) 11 January – Ross Wightman, rugby union player (born 1929) 15 January – Ben Hana, aka "Blanket Man", vagrant (born 1957) 19 January – Sir Maurice Casey, jurist (born 1923) 30 January – Mary Yandall, singer (born 1949) February 7 February – Peter Goddard, educationalist (born 1931) 10 February – Lloyd Morrison, businessman (Infratil) (born 1957) 13 February – Trevor Davey, politician (born 1926) 14 February – Howard Hutchinson, association footballer (born 1921) 16 February Joy Lamason, cricketer (born 1915) Robin Startup, philatelist (born 1933) 18 February – Peter Sharp, cricketer, cricket commentator (born 1939) 23 February Cathy Campbell, broadcaster (born 1962) Athol Whimp, mountaineer (born 1961) March 5 March – Paul Haines, writer (born 1970) 7 March – Andrew Pullan, mathematician (born 1963) 10 March – Richard White, rugby union player (born 1925) 13 March – Jock Hobbs, rugby union player and administrator (born 1960) 17 March – Ngaire Thomas, author (born 1943) 24 March – Sir Paul Callaghan, physicist (born 1947) 25 March Tony Gordon, rugby league player and coach (born 1948) Ainsley Iggo, neurophysiologist (born 1924) 28 March Ralph Maxwell, politician, Member of Parliament (1978–90) (born 1934) Jan Nigro, artist (born 1919) 29 March – Hone Kaa, Anglican church leader, social justice campaigner and broadcaster (born 1941) 31 March – Judith Adams, politician (born 1943) April 5 April – Sir Peter Tapsell, politician, Member of Parliament (1981–96), Speaker of the House (1993–96) (born 1930) 10 April – Michael Green, diplomat (born 1946) 11 April – Grant Tilly, actor (born 1937) 15 April – Peter McKenzie, conservationist (born 1952) 28 April – Sir Fred Allen, rugby union player, former All Black captain (1949) and coach (1966–68) (born 1920) 30 April – Les Hunter, politician (born 1927) May 1 May – Arnold Wilson, artist (born 1928) 3 May – Richie Thomson, cyclist (born 1940) 6 May – John Worrall, cricketer (born 1927) 12 May – Frank Bethwaite, pilot, boat designer (born 1920) 13 May – Trevor Young, politician, Member of Parliament (1968–90) (born 1925) 17 May – Derek Round, journalist (born 1935) 19 May – Phil Lamason, WWII RNZAF pilot (born 1918) 21 May – Kevin Barry, rugby league player (born 1950) 31 May – Dorothy Manning, artist (born 1919) June 3 June Hugh Poole, Olympic sailor (1976) (born 1924) Sir Brian Talboys, politician, Member of Parliament (1957–81), Deputy Prime Minister (1975–81) (born 1921) 8 June – Jane Evans, painter (born 1946) 10 June – Kenneth Clark, ceramicist (born 1922) 4 June – Peter Beaven, architect (born 1925) 8 June – Charles Pearce, mathematician (born 1940) 17 June – John McEldowney, rugby union player (born 1947) July 1 July – Alister McLellan, mathematician and physicist (born 1919) 2 July – Jeff Leigh, cricketer (born 1950) 7 July – David Baldwin, lawn bowls player (born 1921) 18 July Aston Greathead, painter (born 1921) Stuart Jones, golfer (born 1925) 21 July – Vida Stout, limnographer and academic administrator (born 1930) 23 July – Margaret Mahy, children's author (born 1936) 27 July – Pauline Thompson, artist (born 1942) 28 July – Colin Horsley, classical pianist and music teacher (born 1920) 30 July – Jonathan Hardy, actor, screenwriter and movie director (born 1940) 31 July Jean Puketapu, Māori language activist, kōhanga reo pioneer (born 1931) Reg Williams, Anglican priest (born 1914) August 3 August – Mama Tere Strickland, transgender advocate, politician (born 1963) 6 August – Gregor Yeates, soil zoologist and ecologist (born 1944) 11 August – Roger Sandall, anthropologist (born 1933) 16 August – Evon Dickson, cricketer (born 1934) 23 August – Col Campbell, television and radio gardening presenter (born 1933) 29 August – Jeremy Pope, lawyer and activist (born 1938) 30 August – Bill Kini, boxer, Commonwealth Games gold medallist (1966) (born 1937) September 8 September – Leigh Hamilton, actress (born 1949) 14 September Don Binney, painter (born 1940) Dame Joy Drayton, teacher, politician (born 1916) 15 September – Paul Okesene, rugby league player (born 1967) 20 September – Sir John Wallace, jurist (born 1934) October 12 October – Bob Aynsley, rugby league player (born 1922) 15 October – Margaret Alington, historian (born 1920) 18 October – Florence Akins, artist (born 1906) 22 October – Sir Wilson Whineray, rugby union player and businessman (born 1935) 24 October – Phil Bygrave, field hockey player (born 1929) 25 October – Roger Gibbs, swimmer (born 1932) 29 October – Valerie Davies, arachnologist (born 1920) 31 October – June, Lady Blundell, community activist and charity patron, viceregal consort (born 1922) November 2 November Annette Baier, philosopher (born 1929) Greg King, lawyer (born 1969) 3 November – Marie Bell, educationalist, lecturer, teacher (born 1922) 7 November – Glenys Page, cricketer (b. 1940) 16 November Stuart Babbage, Anglican priest (born 1916) Bob Scott, rugby union player (born 1921) 19 November – Jim Weir, diplomat (born 1922) 23 November – Diana, Lady Isaac, environmentalist and arts patron (born 1921) 26 November – Vincent Orange, historian (born 1935) December 1 December – Marcia Russell, journalist and news presenter (born 1940) 3 December – Eileen Moran, visual effects producer (born 1952) 5 December – Geoffrey Clatworthy, community activist (born 1939) 13 December – Rob Talbot, politician, Member of Parliament (1966–1987) (born 1923) 16 December – George Duggan, Marist priest (born 1912) 22 December – Gerald Melling, architect (born 1943) 24 December Guy Dodson, biochemist (born 1937) Elwyn Richardson, educator (born 1925) 27 December – Peter Anderson, cricketer (born 1950) 30 December – Mike Hopkins, sound editor (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Transformers) (born 1959) 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 2012 in yes Category:Years of the 21st century in New Zealand Category:2010s in New Zealand