The following lists events that happened during 2007 in New Zealand.
Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 4,245,700 Increase since 31 December 2006: 36,600 (0.87%) Males per 100 Females: 95.8
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Anand Satyanand
Government 2007 was the second full year since the election of the 48th Parliament. The government was 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 Minister of Foreign Affairs – Winston Peters (NZ First) since October 2005
Non-Labour ministers 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 3 June 2006) Māori Party – Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples, both since 7 July 2004
Judiciary Chief Justice — Sian Elias
Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Dick Hubbard, since October 2004 and replaced by John Banks in the October elections. Mayor of Tauranga – Stuart Crosby, since October 2004 Mayor of Hamilton – Bob Simcock (since May 2007), Michael Redman (Oct 2004 – May 2007) Mayor of Wellington – Kerry Prendergast, since October 2001 Mayor of Christchurch – Garry Moore, since October 1998 and replaced by Bob Parker in the October elections. Mayor of Dunedin – Peter Chin, since October 2004
Events
January 3 January – The official Christmas-New Year holiday period ends with the lowest holiday road toll since 1981. Nine people died on the roads. 3 January – An extensive manhunt is launched for convicted murderer Graeme Burton, wanted for breaching parole. 4 January – A large (approx 7000m2) Tegel Foods chicken processing plant in the Christchurch suburb of Sockburn is razed. Authorities rule out arson. 6 January – Graeme Burton is recaptured in Wellington, after fatally shooting one man and wounding two others. 12 January – New Line Cinema announces that it will never work with Peter Jackson again after Jackson's allegations of financial impropriety and breach of contract. 16 January – The Department of Conservation declares the South Island kōkako to be extinct. It was later revised to 'data deficient' in 2013 due to potential sightings. 17 January – The lawyer for Algerian refugee and alleged security risk Ahmed Zaoui lodges a formal request to be reunited with his family with the Minister of Immigration. 17 January – Sir Edmund Hillary returns to Antarctica to take part in the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Scott Base. 18 January – Officials in Auckland announce four cases of typhoid have been diagnosed in the South Auckland suburb of Clendon since mid-December. 20 January – The chainsaw used to cut down the sole Monterey pine on One Tree Hill in 1994 is found for sale on auction site TradeMe. 20 January – New Zealand stays resolute as the newly self-installed government of Fiji's military Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama threatens unspecified consequences if sanctions continue. 23 January – Six-year-old Jayden Headley is handed into Hamilton police by his grandfather, after being missing for five months.
February 5 February – Former National Party leader Don Brash's resignation from Parliament takes effect. 5 February – Google removes a number of posts from a blog called CYFSWATCH NEW ZEALAND, at the behest of the government, who allege the blog invites users to 'name and shame' staff at the New Zealand Department of Child, Youth and Family Services. 7 February – former Immigration Minister Tuariki Delamere appears in court to face allegations that he had devised a fraudulent scheme designed to help ineligible Chinese migrants immigrate to New Zealand. He is cleared of all charges on 2 March. 9 February – Ahmed Zaoui's request to have his family join him in New Zealand is turned down by the Minister of Immigration. 10 February – A tour bus crashes near Tokoroa injuring several of the Korean tourists on board. 13 February – Disgraced MP Taito Phillip Field is expelled from the Labour Party caucus after announcing in an interview that he will stand for election at the next general election, either with Labour or as an independent. 28 February – Parliament passes the Unsolicited Electronic Messages Act 2007, making spam originating from within New Zealand illegal.
March
1 March – for the second time in twelve months, former deputy Police Commissioner Clint Rickards and two accomplices are cleared of sexual assault charges. 18 March – Mount Ruapehu's crater lake overflows resulting in a lahar. No major damage is reported. 21–22 March – New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark meets U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C.
April 1 April – Severe flooding in Northland results in millions of dollars' worth of damage. 2 April – Auckland Hospital reveals that one of its patients is suffering from Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, and that up to 43 of its patients could be at risk. 3 April – the Bazley Report into police conduct is released, citing "disgraceful" conduct among policemen going back to 1979. The release of the report prompts a public apology from police commissioner Howard Broad.
May 10 May – The Privy Council quashes the conviction of David Bain for the May 1995 murder of his family in Dunedin, ordering a retrial, alleging a "substantial miscarriage of justice". He is released on bail five days later. 16 May – Parliament passes the Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Act, (commonly misrepresented as the "anti-smacking bill"), removing 'reasonable force' as a justification in child assault cases. United Future MP Gordon Copeland quits his party after United's leader Peter Dunne votes in favour of the bill. Copeland announces his intention to form a new party called Future New Zealand. 30 May – Folole Muliaga dies after the power to her Auckland home is disconnected by electricity company Mercury Energy for failure to pay her overdue account; Mrs Muliaga was dependent on an oxygen life support machine.
June 6 June – Emirates Team New Zealand wins the Louis Vuitton Cup 5-0 against Luna Rossa in Valencia. 7 June – The Reserve Bank intervenes in the currency market by selling New Zealand Dollars to try to halt the increase in value of the currency. This was the first such intervention since the NZD was floated in 1985 14–15 June – The military government of Fiji expels New Zealand high commissioner Michael Green. The following day, Fairfax journalist Michael Field is deported. 21 June – The Solicitor General announces that David Bain, currently released on bail after the Privy Council quashed his convictions for the May 1995 murder of his family and siblings, will face a retrial in 2008. 21 June – A polar blast moving north over the South Island causes major disruptions and claims at least one life.
July 1 July – Introduction of several government reforms, including 20 hours funded childcare for 3- and 4-year-olds and the KiwiSaver retirement savings scheme. 2 July – Corporal Willie Apiata of the SAS is awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery under fire in Afghanistan. This is the first time the VC has been awarded to a New Zealander since World War II. 4 July – The first of a swarm of tornadoes hits New Plymouth. No injuries are reported, but the tornadoes inflict major structural damage to buildings in a 140 km radius, and on 6 July, a seven-day state of emergency is declared in Taranaki. 11 July – Major storms cause flooding and cut off communities, leaving up to 50,000 people without power in Northland and the Coromandel Peninsula. 11 July – The Government greenlights oil and gas exploration worth over a billion dollars off in four areas of the Great South Basin off the Southland coast. 12 July – Two New Zealand oil workers kidnapped at gunpoint on 4 July in Nigeria's Niger Delta are released unharmed. 12 July – Spotless dispute – an industrial dispute between contracting company Spotless and 800 of their employees. 23 July – The first Rail Safety Week is held. 30 July – A state of emergency is declared in Otago due to flooding. July – The Springfield Doughnut is installed in Springfield as promotion for The Simpsons Movie.
August 25 August – 69 people are arrested following Undie 500 student riots in Dunedin.
October 13 October – Elections were held for all of New Zealand's city, district and regional councils, and all District Health Boards. 15 October – Police conduct a series of raids across the country, charging 17 people with various firearms offences. They state that they are acting in response to an alleged paramilitary-style training camp in Te Urewera. 16 October – A magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes west of Milford Sound. 31 October – Cabinet reshuffle prepares Helen Clark's Labour government for the coming election year.
November
December 2 December – 96 medals, including 9 Victoria Crosses, are stolen from the Army Museum New Zealand. 20 December – A 6.8 magnitude earthquake strikes the town of Gisborne, causing severe damage to several buildings and one person to die of a heart attack.
Holidays and observances 6 February – Waitangi Day 25 April – ANZAC Day 4 June – Queen's Birthday 16 June – Matariki 22 October – Labour Day
Media, arts and literature
Music April = NZ Radio Awards 26–29 January – Auckland Folk Festival 1–31 May – New Zealand Music Month 31 May – Pacific Music Awards 1 June – Gold Guitar Awards (country music) 18 October – New Zealand Music Awards 6 November – Wellington International Jazz Festival
Performing arts Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Ray Woolf MNZM.
Television
30 January – Bill Ralston quits his post as head of News and Current Affairs at TVNZ, having presided over a slide in the 6 pm bulletin's ratings and revenues. (stuff) 13 April – Television New Zealand announces a round of job cuts, with at least 140 staff being made redundant; the worst hit area being its news division. 2 May – The Freeview digital broadcasting platform is officially switched on. (One News) 29 May – TV personality Suzanne Paul and her partner Stefano Olivieri win the third series of Dancing with the Stars.
Film 3 February – A remastered edition of This is New Zealand, shot by Wellington filmmaker Hugh Macdonald for Expo '70 in Osaka, Japan wins a bronze medal in the New York Festivals Film and Video Competition. (scoop)
Internet 1 March – Telecom New Zealand and Yahoo! launch Yahoo!Xtra, a joint venture web portal replacing XtraMSN (Yahoo!Xtra), (wikinews) 9 August – Telecom begins unbundling the local loop, opening exchanges in Ponsonby and Glenfield to competitors.
Sport
Cricket see also 2007 in cricket 7 December 2006 – 9 January 2007 – Sri Lanka tours New Zealand. 12 January – 13 February: The Commonwealth Bank Series, a three-way cricket tournament between New Zealand, Australia and England takes place in Australia. The Black Caps are eliminated on 6 February. 26 January – Nathan Astle announces his retirement from international cricket. 28 January – Jacob Oram hits an unbeaten 101 off 72 balls against Australia, the fastest ever one-day century by a New Zealander