Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,711,300
Increase since 31 December 1965: 47,500 (1.78%)
Males per 100 females: 100.7
Regal and viceregal
Head of State – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Brigadier Sir Bernard Fergusson GCMG GCVO DSO OBE.
The 34th Parliament of New Zealand concluded and a general election was held on 26 November. The National Party was returned with a majority of eight seats, having lost one seat to the Social Credit Party who entered parliament for the first time.
Speaker of the House – Ronald Algie.
Prime Minister – Keith Holyoake
Deputy Prime Minister – Jack Marshall.
Minister of Finance – Harry Lake.
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Keith Holyoake.
Attorney-General – Ralph Hanan.
Leader of the Opposition – Norman Kirk (Labour).
Leader of Social Credit Party – Vernon Cracknell (after 26 November General election)
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – Roy McElroy
Mayor of Hamilton – Dennis Rogers
Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts
Mayor of Christchurch – George Manning
Mayor of Dunedin – Russell John Calvert
1 January – New Zealand Australia Free Trade Agreement comes into force.
19–20 October – President of the United States of America Lyndon B. Johnson visits New Zealand, becoming the first serving US President to visit the country.
November – The Grey River Argus ceases publication. The newspaper was founded in 1865.
New Zealand appoints an ambassador to Italy and establishes an embassy in Rome.
Arts and literature
James K. Baxter wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
See 1966 in art, 1966 in literature, Category:1966 books
New Zealand Music Awards
Loxene Golden Disc Maria Dallas – Tumbling Down
See: 1966 in music
Radio and television
The program Country Calendar first appears on television.
The C'mon music program, hosted by Peter Sinclair, begins.
First broadcast of Radio Hauraki from a boat called the TIRI in the Hauraki Gulf outside of New Zealand waters in an attempt to break the Government Monopoly on the New Zealand radio airwaves.
See: 1966 in New Zealand television, 1966 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Category:New Zealand television, Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Don't Let It Get You
See: Category:1966 film awards, 1966 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1966 films
David McKenzie wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:16:59 on 12 March in Hamilton, New Zealand.
The 73rd National Chess Championship was held in Hamilton, and was won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his 8th title).
New Zealand Trotting Cup: Lordship – 2nd win
Auckland Trotting Cup: Waitaki Hanover
The Chatham Cup is won by Miramar Rangers who beat Western (Christchurch) 1-0 in the final.
Northern League champions: Eastern Suburbs AFC. Teams from Bay of Plenty join the league in its second year.
The Western League (a forerunner of the Central League) is formed, incorporating teams from Wanganui and Manawatu, with one team each from Taranaki and Hawke's Bay. The first champion is Kiwi United of Palmerston North.
Provincial league champions:Buller: no competition
Canterbury: Christchurch City
Marlborough: Grosvenor Rovers
Nelson: Rangers
Otago: Northern AFC
Poverty Bay: Eastern Union
South Canterbury: West End
Southland: Invercargill Thistle
Wairarapa: Masterton Athletic
Wanganui: Western Suburbs
Wellington: Miramar Rangers
West Coast: Grey United
13 January (in Florida, USA): Campbell Cooley, actor.
2 February: Sean Wade, long-distance runner.
3 February: Danny Morrison, cricketer.
22 March: Glen Denham, basketballer.
20 April: Sarah Bradley, television presenter.
26 May: Grant Bradburn, cricketer.
30 June: Marton Csokas, actor.
26 July: Nikki Payne, rower.
30 July: Kerry Fox, actor.
26 September: Shane Dye, jockey.
22 October: Blair Hartland, cricketer.
7 November: Murphy Su'a, cricketer.
1 December: Andrew Adamson, film director.
Laila Harré, politician and trade unionist.
Nandor Tanczos, politician.
(in Sydney): Mick Watson, sports entrepreneur.
Category:1966 births
Bill Anderton, politician.
Category:1966 deaths
