Estimated population as of 31 December: 2,959,700
Increase since 31 December 1971: 61,200 (2.11%)
Males per 100 females: 99.7
Regal and viceregal
Head of State - Elizabeth II
Governor-General - Sir Arthur Porritt Bt GCMG GCVO CBE, followed by Sir Denis Blundell GCMG GCVO KBE QSO.
The 36th Parliament of New Zealand concluded. A general election was held on 8 December and saw the second National government defeated by a large margin, with the Labour Party winning 55 of 87 seats in Parliament.
Speaker of the House - Roy Jack until 8 December, then Alfred Allen.
Prime Minister - Keith Holyoake then Jack Marshall then Norman Kirk
Deputy Prime Minister - Jack Marshall then Robert Muldoon then Hugh Watt.
Minister of Finance - Robert Muldoon then Bill Rowling.
Minister of Foreign Affairs - Keith Holyoake then Jack Marshall then Norman Kirk.
Attorney-General - Dan Riddiford until 9 February, then Roy Jack until 8 December, then Martyn Finlay.
Leader of the Opposition - Norman Kirk (Labour) until 8 December, then Jack Marshall (National).
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland - Dove-Myer Robinson
Mayor of Hamilton - Mike Minogue
Mayor of Wellington - Frank Kitts
Mayor of Christchurch - Neville Pickering
Mayor of Dunedin - Jim Barnes
Chile and New Zealand establish embassies in each other's capitals.
The Values Party is formed.
Arts and literature
Ian Wedde wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
See 1972 in art, 1972 in literature, Category:1972 books
New Zealand Music Awards
Loxene Golden Disc Suzanne - Sunshine Through A Prism
Loxene Golden Disc Creation - Carolina
See: 1972 in music
Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Jon Zealando and Lou Clauson QSM.
Radio and Television
The Broadcasting Authority in March grants the right to broadcast a second television channel to the private consortium Independent Television Corporation. After the election of the Labour Government in November, Norman Kirk announces the second channel will be run by NZBC.
In September, the first live broadcast of an All Black match takes place. The All Blacks played against Australia. [1]
Feltex Television Awards:
Best Programme: Charlie's Rock - Pukemanu
Outstanding Performance: Peter Sinclair in Golden Disc Award
Best Drama: Charlie's Rock - Pukemanu
See: 1972 in New Zealand television, 1972 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, Category:New Zealand television, Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand
To Love a Māori
See: Category:1972 film awards, 1972 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1972 films
Field events within New Zealand switch from imperial to metric measurements. Track events changed earlier in 1969.
David McKenzie wins his fourth and last national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:14:11.2 on 11 March in Dunedin.
The 79th National Chess Championship is held in Hamilton, and is won by R.J. Sutton of Auckland (his third title).
New Zealand Trotting Cup: Globe Bay
Auckland Trotting Cup: Royal Ascot
New Zealand at the 1972 Summer Olympics
New Zealand National Soccer League won by Mt. Wellington AFC
The Chatham Cup is won by Christchurch United who met Mount Wellington.
Final 4-4 after extra time
First replay 1-1 after extra time
Second replay 2-1
3 January: Shaun Longstaff, rugby player
9 January: Gary Stead, cricketer
3 March: Peter O'Leary, soccer referee
27 March: David Bain, originally served 12 years for murder of his family, conviction quashed by Privy Council and subsequently found not guilty at retrial.
29 March: Paul Kent, swimmer
12 April: Jenny Shepherd, field hockey player
16 May: Matthew Hart, cricketer
3 June: Robert Kennedy, cricketer
7 June: Karl Urban, actor
21 June (in South Africa): Irene van Dyk, netball player
4 July: Craig Spearman, cricketer
12 August: Tony Marsh, rugby player
27 October: John Steel, swimmer
20 December: Jonathan Wyatt, long-distance runner
Veeshayne Armstrong, television presenter.
Brooke Howard-Smith, broadcaster.
(in Britain): Warwick Murray, academic.
(in Hong Kong): Jack Yan, publisher, designer and businessman.
Category:1972 births
2 March Billy Wallace, rugby player and All Black
4 March: Major-General Sir Harold Eric Barrowclough, former Chief Justice
14 April: Bert Hawthorne, motor racing driver
10 July: Charles Bowden, politician
8 October: Laurie Brownlie, rugby player and All Black
22 October: James Keir Baxter, poet
11 December: John Mills, cricketer
26 December Ronald Hugh Morrieson, writer
Category:1972 deaths
