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 childrenArawa, Laniet, and Stephenwere 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".A Case that divides a nation, Stuff,
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
Total 5 16 20 41
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 winAuckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz
Thoroughbred racing Netball: Silver Ferns, National Bank Cup, Netball World Championships
Olympic Games
New Zealand sends a team of seven competitors in two sports. Total 0 0 0 0
Paralympic Games
New Zealand sends a team of seven competitors in one sport. Total 3 0 3 6
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 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.Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com
Births
January 1 January – Hayden McCormick, cyclist 6 January – Samantha McClung, beauty pageant contestant 7 January – Gemma Jones, sailor 10 January – Tim Payne, association football player 12 January – Simon Hickey, rugby union player 17 January – Chance Peni, rugby league player 20 January – Caitlin Lopes Da Silva, water polo player 23 January – Hamish Schreurs, cyclist 31 January Georgia Fabish, actor Rose Keddell, field hockey player
February 5 February Lewis Ormond, rugby union player Tom Sanders, rugby union player 15 February – Mitchell Drummond, rugby union player 18 February – Patrick Kaufusi, rugby league player 19 February Sam Lisone, rugby league player Brook Robertson, rower 23 February – Patrice Siolo, rugby league player
March 1 March – Siositina Hakeai, discus thrower 4 March – Max O'Dowd, cricketer 7 March – Ruby Tew, rower 15 March – Kip Colvey, association footballer
April 3 April – Kodi Nikorima, rugby league player 5 April Sam Bosworth, coxswain Tom Murray, rower 12 April – Holly Moon, gymnast 14 April – Beau Monga, singer and beatboxer 15 April – Katie Bowen, association footballer 16 April – Holly Patterson, association footballer 20 April – Tyrell Baringer-Tahiri, association footballer
May 4 May – Joseph Tapine, rugby league player 8 May – Luke Adams, association footballer 9 May – Epalahame Faiva, rugby union player 25 May Richie Mo'unga, rugby union player Josh Renton, rugby union player 29 May – Tai Webster, basketball player
June 7 June – Miranda Chase, water polo player 13 June – Liam Dudding, cricketer 22 June – Felicity Leydon-Davis, cricketer 24 June – Mitch Evans, motor racing driver
July 1 July – Tyla Nathan-Wong, rugby sevens and touch player 6 July – Tayla O'Brien, association footballer 16 July – Ken Maumalo, rugby league player 23 July Selina Goddard, lawn bowler Thomas Kingsmill, water polo player 25 July – Sophie Cocks, field hockey player
August 2 August Manaia Cherrington, rugby league player Jacob Duffy, cricketer 5 August – James Tucker, rugby union player 7 August – Regan Ware, rugby union player 11 August Anton Cooper, cross-country cyclist Kelsey Smith, field hockey player 12 August – Trent Jones, BMX cyclist 18 August – Ashleigh Ward, association footballer 19 August – Nick Cassidy, motor racing driver
September 3 September – Francis Molo, rugby league player 7 September Herman Ese'ese, rugby league player Matt Vaega, rugby union player 8 September – Leon Fukofuka, rugby union player 12 September – Robert O'Donnell, cricketer 14 September – Jamie Booth, rugby union player 19 September – Matthew Hutchins, swimmer 23 September – Malia Paseka, netball player 26 September – Emma Robinson, swimmer
October 1 October – Harshae Raniga, association footballer 2 October – Trinity Spooner-Neera, rugby union player 8 October – Jahrome Hughes, rugby league player 10 October – Anna Tempero, gymnast 16 October – David Fusitu'a, rugby league player 22 October – Michael Brake, rower 25 October – Ken McClure, cricketer 27 October – Stephanie Skilton, association footballer 31 October – Matthew Lewis, water polo player
November 6 November – Christian Cullen, standardbred racehorse 18 November – Anna-Lisa Christiane, beauty pageant contestant 22 November – Tautalatasi Tasi, rugby league player 23 November – Evie Millynn, association footballer 24 November – Brew, Thoroughbred racehorse 27 November Racquel Sheath, cyclist Shrek, celebrity sheep
December 2 December – Rachel Schmidt, trampolinist 5 December – Zonda, Thoroughbred racehorse 8 December Helena Gasson, swimmer Dylan Kennett, cyclist Elizabeth Thompson, field hockey player 10 December Leo Carter, cricketer Holly Robinson, athlete 14 December – Tim Seifert, cricketer