Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,762,300Increase since 31 December 1995: 55,600 (1.50%)Males per 100 Females: 97.3Regal and viceregal
Head of State - Elizabeth IIGovernor-General - The Rt Hon. Sir Michael Hardie Boys GNZM, GCMG, QSOThe 44th New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was The National Party, led by Jim Bolger. In the New Zealand general election, 1996 National was returned to power, but had to form a coalition with the New Zealand First.
Speaker of the House - Peter Tapsell then Doug KiddPrime Minister - Jim BolgerDeputy Prime Minister - Don McKinnon then Winston PetersMinister of Finance - Bill BirchMinister of Foreign Affairs - Don McKinnonSee: Category:Parliament of New Zealand, New Zealand elections
Greens - Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod DonaldAct - TBDNew Zealand First - TBDUnited Future - TBDMāori Party - TBDLabour - TBD (Leader of the Opposition)Progressives - TBDUnited Future - TBDMain centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland - Les MillsMayor of Hamilton - Margaret EvansMayor of Wellington - Mark BlumskyMayor of Christchurch - Vicki BuckMayor of Dunedin - Sukhi TurnerApril: The New Zealand Tablet winds up. The weekly Catholic newspaper started publication in 1873.Arts and literature
Bernadette Hall wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.Montana New Zealand Book Awards:Book of the Year/Cultural Heritage: Judith Binney, Redemption Songs - A Life of Te Kooti Arikirangi Te TurukiFirst Book AwardsFiction: Emily Perkins, Not Her Real NamePoetry: James Brown, Go Round Power PleaseNon-Fiction: Alex Frame, Salmond: Southern Juristf*INK, Dunedin's weekly entertainment magazine is foundedSee 1996 in art, 1996 in literature, Category:1996 books
New Zealand Music Awards
Winners are shown first with nominees underneath.
Album of the Year: Shihad - KilljoyFinn Brothers - FinnHoward Morrison - Songs Of New ZealandMax Lines - Beautiful Panflute IStarlight String Quartet - Romantic StringsSuzanne Prentice - 25th AnniversarySingle of the Year: OMC – How BizarreD-Faction - Down in the BoondocksHerbs - French Letter '95Jan Hellriegel - ManicThe Exponents - La La LuluStrawpeople - Sweet DisorderBest Male Vocalist: Jon Toogood – ShihadGreg JohnsonDave DobbynBest Female Vocalist: Teremoana RapleySulataJan HellriegelBest Group: ShihadThe ExponentsThe Mutton BirdsFinn BrothersRising Star Award: Kylie HarrisBic RungaGlen MoffatMost Promising Male Vocalist: Paul Fuemana (OMC)Jeremy Eade (Garageland)Otis Frizzell (Joint Force)Most Promising Female Vocalist: Bic RungaCelia Mancini (King Loser)Jordan ReyneMost Promising Group: OMCGaragelandJoint ForceInternational Achievement: ShihadFinn BrothersDave DobbynSupergrooveBest Video: Sigi Spath / Jo Fisher – You Gotta Know (Supergroove)Greg Page - Honeyblonde (Throw)M Noonan and J Frizzell - Static PTI (Joint Force)Best Producer: Eddie Rayner - World Stand StillAlan Jansson, Nathan Haines and James Pinker - Shift Left (Nathan Haines)Malcolm Welsford - La La Lulu (The Exponents)Best Engineer: Alan Jansson – How Bizarre (Omc)Chris Sinclair - Black Sand Shore (Grace)Malcolm Welsford - La La Lulu (The Exponents)Best Jazz Album: Nathan Haines – Shift LeftHattie St John - Flying High at IguacuChristchurch Polytechnic Sextet - CollaborationBest Classical Album: Michael Houston - Beethoven Piano Sonatas from the Middle PeriodAlexander Ivashkin and Tamas Vesmas - Alfred SchnittkeL Subramaniam - Pacific RendezvousBest Country Album: Kylie Harris – Let It Be LoveGlen Moffat - Somewhere in New Zealand TonightKevin Greaves - Over the StormBest Folk Album: Rua – Harbour LightsChris Thompson - Song for LauraPeter Skandera and Dave Maybee - Acoustic SpiritBest Gospel Album: Brent Chambers – Living SacrificesAlastair Brown - NarrowPaul Stephens - ApocalypseBest Mana Maori Album: Southside of Bombay with Mina Ripia – Kia MauMaree Sheehan - Past to PresentMoana and The Moahunters - Give it Up NowRuia - Ka Tangi te Tiitii Ka Tangi to KaakaaBest Mana Reo Album: Southside of Bombay with Mina Ripia – Kia MauRuia - Ka Tangi te Tiitii Ka Tangi te KaakaaMoana and the Moa Hunters - Akona Te Reo '95Best Children's Album: Nga Pihi - 1 & 2Radha and the Kiwis - Sing the World AroundKids TV - You and Me Songbook (Suzy Cato)Best Polynesian Album: Southside of Bombay - UmbadadaD-Faction - Down in the BoondocksJohn Akaata - Ura Mai KoePurest Form - If I Fell/U Can Do ItBest Songwriter: Mark Tierney / Paul Casserly / Anthony Ioasa - Sweet Disorder (Strawpeople)Glen Moffat - Somewhere in New Zealand TonightGreg Johnson - Don't Wait Another DayBest Cover: Alec Bathgate – AbbasalutelyChris Knox - Songs of You and MeNeil Finn and Wayne Conway - FinnSee: 1996 in music
Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Keith Leggett.Radio and television
See: 1996 in New Zealand television, 1996 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, TV3 (New Zealand), Public broadcasting in New Zealand
The New Zealand Government sells the Radio New Zealand commercial arm to Clear Channel creating The Radio NetworkBroken EnglishChickenJack Brown GeniusFlight of the AlbatrossSomeone Else's CountryThe FrightenersThe Whole of the MoonSee: Category:1996 film awards, 1996 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, Category:1996 films
See: NZ Internet History
Phil Costley wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:20:32 on 27 October in Auckland, while Tracey Clissold claims her first in the women's championship (2:39:03).The NBL was won by Auckland.Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team, Chappell–Hadlee Trophy, Cricket World Cup
New Zealand OpenCheck Category:New Zealand golfers in overseas tournaments.New Zealand Trotting Cup: Il Vicolo - 2nd winAuckland Trotting Cup: Sharp And TelfordSilver FernsNational Bank CupNew Zealand at the 1996 Summer OlympicsThe Lion Red Cup was won by the Counties Manukau Heroes who beat the Waitakere City Raiders 34-22 in the grand final. Waitakere were the minor premiers.In their second season the Auckland Warriors placed 11th of 20 teams in the Australian National Rugby League competition. They had been in finals contention until losing their last six games.5 October, New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 62-811 October, New Zealand defeated Papua New Guinea 64-0The 1996 Great Britain Lions tour saw the three Tet matches played in New Zealand:
18 October, New Zealand defeated Great Britain 17-1225 October, New Zealand defeated Great Britain 18-151 November, New Zealand defeated Great Britain 32-12Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, Super 14, Rugby Union World Cup, National Provincial Championship, Category:All Blacks, Bledisloe Cup, Tri Nations Series, Ranfurly Shield
Ballinger Belt – Graeme Ballinger (Levin)The National Summer Soccer League was inaugurated to replace the New Zealand National Soccer League, so there was no 1996 league champion.The New Zealand national soccer team placed third in the OFC Nations Cup, which this year was played as a league rather than a tournament.The Chatham Cup is won by Waitakere City F.C. who beat Mt Wellington 3—1 in the final. 