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 2008 in New Zealand: |
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Contents |
Incumbents
Regal and Vice Regal
- Head of State - Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand
- Governor-General - The Hon. Anand Satyanand, PCNZM, QSO1
Government
The 48th New Zealand Parliament continues. The government is a Labour-Progressive coalition with supply and confidence from United Future and New Zealand First in exchange for two ministerial spots outside Cabinet.
- Speaker of the House - Margaret Wilson (Labour) since 3 March 2005
- Prime Minister - Helen Clark (Labour) since 5 December 1999
- Deputy Prime Minister - Michael Cullen (Labour) since 15 August 2002
- Minister of Finance - Michael Cullen (Labour) since 5 December 1999
Non-Labour Ministers
- Minister of Foreign Affairs - Winston Peters (NZ First) since October 2005
- Jim Anderton (Progressives) - Minister of Agriculture (within Cabinet)
- Peter Dunne (United Future)- Minister of Revenue and Associate Minister of Health (outside Cabinet)
Other Party Leaders
- National - John Key (Leader of the Opposition) since 27 November 2006
- Act - Rodney Hide, since 13 June 2004
- Greens - Jeanette Fitzsimons (since 1995) and Russel Norman (since 2006)
- Māori Party - Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples, both since 7 July 2004
Main centre leaders
- Mayor of Auckland - John Banks, since October 2007
- Mayor of Hamilton - Bob Simcock, since May 2007
- Mayor of Wellington - Kerry Prendergast, since October 2001
- Mayor of Christchurch - Bob Parker, since October 2007
- Mayor of Dunedin - Peter Chin, since October 2004
Events
- 22 January: State funeral for Sir Edmund Hillary
- 5 June: A newly redesigned flag for the Governor General of New Zealand is flown for the first time at Government House, Auckland. 2
- 1 July: Rail transport network is renationalised as KiwiRail
- 1 August: Crown entities Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand merge to form the NZ Transport Agency
- 16 August: Dunedin Public Hospital is put in lockdown for a week after approximately 170 staff and patients fall ill to a norovirus outbreak, resulting in 2,300 appointments and procedures being delayed.3
- 5 September: Fonterra advise Prime Minister Helen Clark of the 2008 baby milk scandal.4
- 8 November: John Key and the New Zealand National Party win the General Election. John Key is able to form a Government and in Helen Clark's speech she resigns as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party
- 9 November: Michael Cullen resigns as deputly leader of the Labour Party. 5
Holidays and Observances
- 6 February - Waitangi Day (Wednesday)
- 21 March/24 March Good Friday/Easter Monday
- 25 April - ANZAC Day (Friday)
- 2 June - Queen's Birthday Monday
- 5 June - Matariki (Thursday)
- 27 October - Labour Day Monday
Arts and literature
New Books
Awards
Music
- May - New Zealand Music Month
Television
- Freeview|HD Digital television is launched.
- The country's first Chinese television channel, CTV8 (Chinese Television 8) is launched in early October.
Film
Internet
Sport
Cricket
- New Zealand men's cricket team, the Black Caps plays three test matches against England and draws the series, each team having won a game
Netball
- The ANZ Netball Championship begins in April 2008.
Motorsport
Olympic Games
Rugby league
Rugby union
Rowing
Soccer
- 30 October-16 November — New Zealand hosts the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Matches are held in Albany, Christchurch, Hamilton and Wellington.
Tennis
Births
Deaths
- 1 January: Joan Dingley, mycologist
- 4 January: Bert Walker, former National Party politician, minister.
- 10 January: George Laking, diplomat and public servant.6
- 11 January: Sir Edmund Hillary, mountaineer and first person to climb Mount Everest.7
- 16 January: Hone Tuwhare, poet.8
- 12 February: Ron Chippindale, Chief Inspector of Accidents9
- 19 February: Barry Barclay, Māori film-maker10
- 21 March: Merv Wallace, cricketer and test match captain.11
- 6 April: Tony Davies, All Blacks rugby union player12
- 11 April: Fraser Colman, former Labour Party politician, minister.
- 12 April: Dame Augusta Wallace, former judge, first woman District Court judge.13
- 5 June: Colin Kay, Mayor of Auckland and New Zealand triple jump champion.14
- 25 August: Hardwicke Knight, Otago historian. 15
- 7 September: Sir Hamish Hay, Mayor of Christchurch from 1974 to 1989.16
- 8 September: A. R. Guthrey, Mayor of Christchurch from 1968 to 1971.17
- 13 September: Duncan Laing, swimming coach, trainer of 11 Olympic athletes.18
- 13 September: Sue Garden-Bachop, women's rugby international player and administrator.19
- 25 September: Brian Donnelly, politician and diplomat.20
- 2 October: Rob Guest, actor and singer.21
- 29 October: John Darwin, mathematician and statistician
- 8 November: Hedley Howarth, Test cricketer.22
See also
- List of years in New Zealand
- Timeline of New Zealand history
- History of New Zealand
- Military history of New Zealand
- Timeline of environmental history of New Zealand
- Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica
For world events and topics in 2008 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 2008
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ "The Governor-General’s new flag". Retrieved on 2008-09-15.
- ^ Schofield, Edith (22 August 2008). "Dunedin Hospital to lift lockdown". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ Yardley, Jim (September 15, 2008). "Chinese Baby Formula Scandal Widens as 2nd Death Is Announced". New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-09-16.
- ^ "Cullen resigns after election defeat". New Zealand Herald (2008-11-09). Retrieved on 2008-11-09.
- ^ "PM pays tribute to Sir George Laking". TVNZ (January 11, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ "Everest hero Edmund Hillary dies". BBC News (11 January 2008). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ "Maori poet Hone Tuwhare dies". New Zealand Herald (16 January 2008). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ "Erebus investigator killed in crash". New Zealand Herald (12 February 2008). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ "Film maker Barry Barclay dies". New Zealand Herald (19 February 2008). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ "Former New Zealand cricket captain Merv Wallace dead at 91". International Herald Tribune (22 March 2008). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ "Former All Black Davies dies". New Zealand Herald (9 April 2008). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ "NZ's first female district court judge dies". New Zealand Herald (14 April 2008). Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ Falconer, Phoebe (6 June 2008). "Devotee of sport and politics". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved on 2008-08-25.
- ^ "Hardwicke Knight commemorative display". Dunedin Public Libraries (10 September 2008). Retrieved on 2008-09-18.
- ^ "Sir Hamish Hay dies". TVNZ (8 September 2008). Retrieved on 2008-09-08.
- ^ "Former mayor and wife die within minutes of each other", The Press (9 September 2008). Archived from the original on 9 September 2008.
- ^ "Master coach Duncan Laing dies". Otago Daily Times (13 September 2008). Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ "Former Black Fern dies". RugbyHeaven.co.nz (13 September 2008). Retrieved on 2008-09-18.
- ^ "Ex-NZ First MP dies", The New Zealand Herald (25 September 2008).
- ^ "Theatre star Rob Guest dies", New Zealand Herald (2008-10-02). Retrieved on 1 October 2008.
- ^ "Hedley Howarth dies at 64". CricketArchive (8 November 2008). Retrieved on 2008-11-08.
