2021 in New Zealand

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Patsy Reddy until 28 September, and then Cindy Kiro from 21 October[1]

• 
  Elizabeth II
• 
  Patsy Reddy
• 
  Cindy Kiro

Legislature term: 53rd New Zealand Parliament

The Sixth Labour Government, elected in 2020, continues.

• Speaker of the House – Trevor Mallard
• Prime Minister – Jacinda Ardern
• Deputy Prime Minister – Grant Robertson
• Leader of the House – Chris Hipkins
• Minister of Finance – Grant Robertson
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Nanaia Mahuta

• 
  Trevor Mallard
• 
  Jacinda Ardern
• 
  Grant Robertson
• 
  Chris Hipkins
• 
  Nanaia Mahuta

• National – Judith Collins until 25 November, then Christopher Luxon from 30 November (leader of the Opposition)
• Green – James Shaw and Marama Davidson
• ACT – David Seymour
• Māori Party – Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer

• 
  Judith Collins
• 
  Christopher Luxon
• 
  James Shaw
• 
  Marama Davidson
• 
  David Seymour

• Chief Justice – Helen Winkelmann

• 
  Helen Winkelmann

• Mayor of Auckland – Phil Goff
• Mayor of Tauranga – Tina Salisbury (acting), then Anne Tolley (as chair of commissioners) from 9 February[2]
• Mayor of Hamilton – Paula Southgate
• Mayor of Wellington – Andy Foster
• Mayor of Christchurch – Lianne Dalziel
• Mayor of Dunedin – Aaron Hawkins

• 
  Phil Goff
• 
  Anne Tolley
• 
  Paula Southgate
• 
  Andy Foster
• 
  Lianne Dalziell
• 
  Aaron Hawkins

• 29 December 2020 to 3 January – Riots between inmates and prison guards at Waikeria Prison, causing major fire damage to the complex.[3]
• 1 January – A bomb threat closes Gisborne Airport, causing evacuations and delayed flights.[4]

• 2 February – Lead is found in water of two Otago towns, Waikouaiti and Karitāne.
• 9 February – Māori Party co-leader and Member of Parliament Rawiri Waititi is not allowed to speak because he was wearing a traditional pendant rather than a tie.[5]
• 15 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 3, while the rest of New Zealand moves to Alert Level 2.[6]
• 17 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 2 from midnight while the rest of New Zealand reverts to Alert Level 1 from midnight.[7]
• 21 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 at midnight.[8]
• 27 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves back into an Alert Level 3 lockdown for the next seven days while the rest of New Zealand moves back to an Alert Level 2.[9]

• 5 March
  • A tsunami warning is issued following a 7.1M at 2.27am near East Cape and Gisborne.[10]
  • A 7.4M at 6.40am hits the Kermadec Islands.[11]
  • A tsunami threat and warning is issued for New Zealand after a 8.1M earthquake in the Kermadec Islands.[12] The Beehive Bunker has been activated. Tsunami land threat was dropped at 1.20pm by GNS to a beach and marine threat. The national tsunami advisory was later dropped at 3.43pm.[13]
  • COVID-19 in New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern announces that Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 lockdown from Alert Level 3, with the rest of New Zealand moving down to Alert Level 1, at 6am, on 7 March.[14][15][16] The Ardern ministry will review the alert level of Auckland at the start of the weekend following the alert downgrade.[15]
• 7 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 2, with the rest of New Zealand moving to Alert Level 1.[17]
• 12 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 at midday.[17]

• 19 April – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Quarantine-free travel with Australia begins.[18]
• April – New Zealand's longest running television advertisement of Auckland Glass stops. It first aired in 1996.[19]

• 10 May – Four people are injured during a stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in central Dunedin[20]
• 17 May – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Quarantine-free travel with the Cook Islands begins.[21]
• 20 May – The 2021 Budget is delivered.[22]
• 24 May – Dame Cindy Kiro is announced as the next Governor-General.[23]
• 30 May – A state of emergency is announced in Ashburton, Selwyn and Timaru districts as torrential rain hits the Canterbury region.[24]

• 7 June – The 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours are announced.[25]
• 19 June – A tornado hit the southern Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe, killing one man and injuring two others.[26]
• 22 June – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand pauses the travel bubble with New South Wales as cases of COVID-19 surge in Sydney.[27]
• 23 June – COVID-19 in New Zealand: The Wellington Region moves to Alert Level 2, following a positive case of the delta variant who flew to Wellington from Sydney.[28] No outbreak occurred.

• 2 July – The government releases the dates of the Matariki public holiday for the next thirty years.[29]
• 23 July – New Zealand athletes begin competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[30]

• 8 August – New Zealand athletes finish competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[31]
• 17 August – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand enters Alert Level 4, following a positive case of the Delta Variant of COVID-19 in Auckland.[32]
• 24 August to 5 September 2021 – Athletes compete at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.

• 1 September – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand except for Auckland and Northland moved to Alert Level 3.
• 3 September – Seven people are injured during a stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in LynnMall, West Auckland. The attacker was shot and killed by police.[33]
• 14 September – The Māori Party (Māori: Te Pāti Māori) launch a petition to rename the official name of the nation to Aotearoa and restore Māori placenames by 2026.[34][35]
• 16 September – Three daughters are murdered by their mother, Lauren Dickason.[36][37]
• September – The average New Zealand house price passes $1 million for the first time.[38]

• 21 October
  • Dame Cindy Kiro is sworn in as the 22nd Governor-General of New Zealand.[39]
  • Prime Minister Ardern announces an agreement on a New Zealand–United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, promising zero-tariffs and a $970m economic boost.[40]

• 25 November – Judith Collins loses a confidence vote as leader of the National Party after her handling over a historic allegation regarding Simon Bridges. Shane Reti becomes interim leader.[41]
• 30 November – Christopher Luxon is elected leader of the National Party.[42]

• 2 December - COVID-19 in New Zealand: The alert level system is dropped in favour of the new traffic light system at 11:59 pm. Northland, Auckland, Taupō, Rotorua, Kawerau, Whakatane, Ōpōtiki, Gisborne, Wairoa, Whanganui and Ruapehu regions initially moved to 'Red' while the rest of the country was moved into 'Orange.'
• 16 December – The 2021 New Zealand bravery awards are announced.[43]
• 31 December – The 2022 New Year Honours are announced.[44]

• New Zealand sends a team of 225 competitors across 21 sports.

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
7	6	7	20

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
6	3	3	12

• New Zealand Secondary School Championships (Maadi Cup)[46]
  • Maadi Cup (boys' U18 eight) – Christ's College
  • Levin Jubilee Cup (girls' U18 eight) – Rangi Ruru Girls' School
  • Star Trophy (overall points) – Rangi Ruru Girls' School

• Ballinger Belt – Mike Collings (Te Puke)[47]

• 6 January – Alan Burgess, cricketer (Canterbury), world's oldest living first-class cricketer (since 2020) (born 1920).[48]
• 8 January – Stewart McKnight, cricketer (Otago) and curler (born 1935).[49]
• 12 January – John Ward, cricketer (Canterbury, national team) (born 1937).[50]
• 17 January – Tom Prebble, educationalist and university administrator (Massey University) (born 1945).[51]
• 18 January – Ash Gardiner, rugby union player (Taranaki, national team) (born 1946).[52]
• 20 January
  • Doug Bowden, cricketer (Central Districts) (born 1927).[53]
  • Bill Sheat, lawyer and arts advocate (born 1930).[54]
• 26 January
  • Ben Te Haara, Māori Anglican priest, Bishop of Te Tai Tokerau (1992–2001) ((born 1932).[55]
  • Peter Thorburn, rugby union player (Auckland) and coach (North Harbour, national sevens team, United States national team) (born 1939).[56]
  • Peter Vere-Jones, actor (Pukemanu, Shortland Street, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) (born 1939).[57]
• 30 January – Bill Hammond, artist (born 1947).[58]

• 
  Tom Prebble
• 
  Bill Sheat
• 
  Peter Thorburn

• 3 February – Peter Nicholls, sculptor (Toroa) (born 1936).[59]
• 4 February – Solomon Faine, microbiologist (Monash University) (born 1926).[60]
• 6 February – Bruce Taylor, cricketer (Canterbury, Wellington, national team) (born 1943).[61]
• 22 February – Peter Rattray, cricketer (Canterbury) (born 1958).[62]

• 
  Peter Nicholls
• 
  Bruce Taylor

• 3 March – Jonathan Temm, lawyer, president of the New Zealand Law Society (2010–2013), Queen's Counsel (since 2019) (born 1962).[63]
• 5 March – Francis Small, civil engineer and scouting leader, managing director of New Zealand Rail / Tranz Rail (1972–2000), president of IPENZ (1996–1997), Bronze Wolf Award (1999) (born 1946).[64]
• 12 March – Avenal McKinnon, art historian and writer, director of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery (2005–2014) (born 1949).[65]
• 15 March – Miriama Rauhihi Ness, Māori activist (Ngā Tamatoa, Polynesian Panthers) and social worker (born 1951).[66]
• 18 March – David Braithwaite, property developer and local politician, Mayor of Hamilton (2001–2004) (born 1937).[67]

• 
  Avenal McKinnon

• 3 April – John Edgar, sculptor and medallist (born 1950).[68]
• 8 April – John da Silva, Olympic (1956) and British Empire and Commonwealth Games (1958) wrestler, boxer and youth worker (born 1934).[69]
• 15 April – Leon van den Eijkel, artist (born 1940).[70]
• 17 April – John Ogilvie, cricketer (Wellington) (born 1931).[71]
• 18 April
  • Mary Earle, food technologist (Massey University) (born 1929).[72]
  • Iain Gallaway, cricketer (Otago), rugby union referee, lawyer and sports commentator, president of New Zealand Cricket (1997–2000), chair of the Broadcasting Standards Authority (1989–1995) (born 1922).[73]
• 19 April – Mike Dormer, cricketer (Auckland) (born 1937).[74]
• 27 April – Dave Cull, television presenter (Home Front), writer, and local politician, mayor of Dunedin (2010–2019) (born 1950).[75]

• 
  Mary Earle
• 
  Dave Cull

• 3 May – Steve McKean, basketball coach (national team) (born c. 1944).[76]
• 4 May – Margaret Forsyth, world champion netball player (1979, 1987), netball coach (Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic) and local politician, Hamilton city councillor (2010–2016, since 2019) (born 1961).[77]
• 8 May
  • George Skudder, rugby union player (Waikato, New Zealand Māori, national team) (born 1948).[78]
  • Rana Waitai, politician, MP for Te Puku O Te Whenua (1996–1999) (born 1942).[79]
• 10 May – Jenny King, librarian (University of Waikato) (born 1929).[80]
• 14 May – David McPhail, comedian (A Week of It), actor (Letter to Blanchy, Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby) and writer (Letter to Blanchy) (born 1945).[81]
• 15 May – Emily Mair, opera singer, pianist, and vocal coach (Victoria University of Wellington) (born 1928).[82]
• 17 May
  • Nan Kinross, nurse and nursing academic (Massey University) (born 1926).[83]
  • Janet Shackleton, hurdler, British Empire Games bronze medallist (1950) (born 1928).[84]
• 21 May – Merv Norrish, diplomat and public servant, ambassador to the United States (1978–1980), secretary of foreign affairs (1980–1988) (born 1926).[85]
• 23 May – Ross Taylor, geochemist and planetary scientist (Australian National University) (born 1925).[86]

• 
  Steve McKean
• 
  Margaret Forsyth
• 
  Rana Waitai
• 
  David McPhail
• 
  Nan Kinross
• 
  Janet Shackleton
• 
  Merv Norrish

• 1 June – Ian Shearer, politician, MP for Hamilton East (1975–1984), Minister for the Environment (1981–1984), Minister of Science and Technology (1981–1984), Minister of Broadcasting (1981–1984) (born 1941).[87]
• 2 June
  • Vonnie Cave, photographer, camellia grower and gardening writer (born 1928).[88]
  • Les Rackley, boxing trainer (Jeff Rackley, Les Rackley) (born 1929).[89]
• 4 June – Tilly Hirst, world champion netball player (1967) (born 1941).[90]
• 7 June – Richard Nunns, Hall of Fame traditional Māori instrumental musician (born 1945).[91]
• 9 June – Steve Mrkusic, architect (born 1928).[92]
• 11 June
  • Dame Georgina Kirby, Māori leader and women's advocate, president of the Māori Women's Welfare League (1983–1987) (born 1936).[93]
  • Ron Sang, architect (Brian Brake House), art collector (born 1938).[94]
• 12 June – Robert Edgcumbe, 8th Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, peer (born 1939).[95]
• 14 June
  • Sir Eion Edgar, Hall of Fame businessman and philanthropist (Edgar Centre), chancellor of the University of Otago (1999–2003), Senior New Zealander of the Year (2010) (born 1945).[96]
  • Sir Ian Hassall, paediatrician and children's advocate, Children's Commissioner (1989–1994) (born 1941).[97]
• 16 June – John Osmers, Anglican priest and anti-apartheid activist, Bishop of Eastern Zambia (1995–2002) (born 1935).[98]
• 17 June – Fane Flaws, musician (Blerta, The Spats, The Crocodiles), songwriter and artist (born 1951).[99]
• 19 June – Colin Loader, rugby union player (Wellington, national team) (born 1931).[100]
• 24 June – Tom Flaws, cricketer (Otago) (born 1932).[101]
• 25 June – John Sigley, cricketer (Wellington) (born 1931).[102]

• 
  Tilly Hirst
• 
  Richard Nuns
• 
  Dame Georgina Kirby
• 
  Sir Eion Edgar
• 
  Sir Ian Hassall
• 
  Colin Loader

• 5 July – Vivienne Cassie Cooper, planktologist and botanist (DSIR) (born 1926).[103]
• 6 July – Mary Fama, applied mathematician (DSIR, CSIRO) (born 1938).[104]
• 9 July
  • Betty Gilderdale, children's author, Margaret Mahy Award (1994), Children's Literature Association Award for Services to Children's Literature (1999) (born 1923).[105]
  • Ngaire Lane, Olympic swimmer (1948) (born 1925).[106]
• 11 July – George Petersen, biochemist (University of Otago), Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand (since 1985), Rutherford Medal (2003) (born 1933).[107]
• 15 July – Bruce Watt, rugby union player (Wanganui, Canterbury, national team) and coach (born 1939).[108]
• 17 July – Jonathan White, landscape artist and conservationist (born 1938).[109]
• 18 July – Philip Sherry, newsreader (NZBC and TV One Network News, Morning Report, 3 National News) and local politician, Auckland Regional Councillor (1995–2004), Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor (2004–2016) (born 1933).[110]
• 19 July – Paratene Matchitt, artist (City to Sea Bridge) (born 1933).[111]
• 28 July – Malcolm McCaw, cricketer (Wellington) and accountant (born 1930).[112]

• 
  Betty Gilderdale
• 
  Philip Sherry

• 1 August – Kihi Ngatai, Māori leader (Ngāi Te Rangi) and horticulturalist, member of the Waitangi Tribunal (2008–2015) (born 1930).[113]
• 3 August – Brian Maunsell, Olympic boxer (1964) (born 1937).[114]
• 4 August – Graham McRae, motor racing driving, SCCA L&M Continental 5000 Championship winner (1972), Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year (1973) (born 1940).[115]
• 5 August
  • Brian Henderson, Hall of Fame television and radio broadcaster (Nine News, Bandstand), Gold Logie Award (1968) (born 1931).[116]
  • Murray Rose, politician, MP for Otago Central (1969–1972) (born 1939).[117]
• 7 August – Mark Weedon, rugby union player (Bay of Plenty, North Harbour, Crusaders) (born 1968).[118]
• 8 August – Perry Harris, rugby union player (Manawatu, national team) (born 1946).[119]
• 9 August – Olivia Podmore, Olympic (2016) and Commonwealth Games (2018) cyclist (born 1997).[120]
• 10 August
  • Don McKechnie, cricketer (Otago) and cricket umpire (born 1944).[121]
  • John Riordan, jockey, Auckland Cup (1960, 1972), W. S. Cox Plate (1963) (born 1936).[122]
  • Peter Whittle, mathematician (DSIR, University of Cambridge), John von Neumann Theory Prize (1997), Fellow of the Royal Society (since 1978) (born 1927).[123]
• 11 August – Sir David Levene, Hall of Fame businessman and philanthropist (born 1929).[124]
• 14 August – Francis Mossman, actor (Shortland Street, Spartacus: Vengeance, The Horizon) (born 1988).[125]
• 15 August
  • Greg Rowlands, rugby union player (Bay of Plenty, national team) (born 1947).[126]
  • Gary Woollard, rugby league player (Wellington, Auckland, national team) (born 1942).[127]
• 16 August – Marilynn Webb, artist and educator (Otago Polytechnic), Frances Hodgkins Fellow (1974), Te Tohu mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu (2018) (born 1937).[128]
• 17 August – Tom Larkin, public servant and diplomat, ambassador to Japan (1972–1976) (born 1917).[129]
• 18 August – Austin Mitchell, academic (University of Otago, University of Canterbury), broadcaster (Calendar), writer (The Half-Gallon Quarter-Acre Pavlova Paradise) and politician, MP for Great Grimsby (1977–2015) (born 1934).[130]
• 19 August
  • Sir Michael Cullen, politician, MP (1981–2009), Minister of Social Welfare (1987–1990), Minister of Finance (1999–2008), Deputy Prime Minister (2002–2008) (born 1945).[131]
  • Lyn Hartley, local-body politician, Mayor of Kawerau (1986–2001) (born 1941).[132]
• 23 August – Gary Tricker, painter and printmaker (born 1938).[133]
• 24 August
  • Bruce Culpan, rower, British Empire and Commonwealth Games silver medallist (1950, 1954) (born 1930).[134]
  • Harry Kent, Olympic track cyclist (1972), British Commonwealth Games gold medallist (1970), world championship silver medallist (1970), Lonsdale Cup (1970) (born 1947).[135]
• 25 August – Max Cryer, broadcaster, entertainer and writer, Entertainer of the Year (1973), Benny Award (1977) (born 1935).[136]
• 28 August – Joye Evans, radiographer and guiding leader, New Zealand Girl Guides chief commissioner (1983–1988) (born 1929).[137]

• 
  Graham McRae
• 
  Olivia Podmore
• 
  Sir David Levene
• 
  Austin Mitchell
• 
  Sir Michael Cullen
• 
  Max Cryer

• 1 September
  • Noel Dellow, cricketer (Canterbury) (born 1929).[138]
  • Alison Gray, writer and social researcher (born 1943).[139]
• 4 September
  • Martin Thompson, artist (born 1956).[140]
  • Lydia Wevers, literary academic (Victoria University of Wellington), editor and critic (born 1950).[141]
• 5 September – Viv Stephens, cricket player (Wellington, Central Districts, national team) and administrator (born 1953).[142]
• 6 September
  • Billy Apple, pop artist, Arts Foundation of New Zealand Icon (since 2018) (born 1935).[143]
  • Peter Arnold, cricket player (Canterbury, Northamptonshire) and administrator, president of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club (1996–2000) (born 1926).[144]
• 17 September – Angela Ballara, historian, member of the Waitangi Tribunal (2003–2020) (born 1944).[145]
• 19 September – Dame Jocelyn Fish, women's rights advocate and local politician, Piako county councillor (1980–1989), president of the National Council of Women (1986–1990) (born 1930).[146]
• 23 September
  • Taito Phillip Field, politician, MP for Otara (1993–1996) and Māngere (1996–2008), leader of the New Zealand Pacific Party (2008–2010) (born 1952).[147]
  • John Mitchell, historian (born 1941).[148]
• 24 September – Waka Nathan, rugby union player (Auckland, national team), selector and administrator, Tom French Cup (1962, 1966), president of the Auckland Rugby Union (2003–2004) (born 1940).[149]
• 30 September
  • Dorothea Brown, librarian (Christchurch City Libraries) (born 1938).[150]
  • Jenny Kirk, politician, MP for Birkenhead (1987–1990), North Shore city councillor (1995–2001) (born 1945).[151]

• 
  Billy Apple
• 
  Taito Phillip Field
• 
  Waka Nathan

• 1 October – Earle Wells, Hall of Fame sailor, Olympic champion (1964) (born 1933).[152]
• 4 October
  • Laurie Davidson, Hall of Fame yacht designer (NZL 32) (born 1926).[153]
  • John Hastie, Commonwealth Games sport shooter (1978, 1982) and gunsmith, Ballinger Belt (1982) (born 1938).[154]
  • Joy Watson, children's author, Gaelyn Gordon Award (2000) (born 1938).[155]
• 5 October – Pam Williams, Hall of Fame businesswoman and philanthropist (born 1933).[156]
• 6 October – Sir Noel Anderson, lawyer and judge, president of the Court of Appeal (2004–2006), Supreme Court justice (2006–2008), Queen's Counsel (since 1986) (born 1944).[157]
• 8 October
  • Jack Manning, architect (Majestic Centre), NZIA Gold Medal (2011) (born 1928).[158]
  • Ian Ormond, association footballer (Blockhouse Bay, national team) (born 1949).[159]
• 11 October – Barry Mora, operatic baritone (Gelsenkirchen Opera House, Frankfurt Opera House) (born 1940).[160]
• 13 October – Ray Cranch, rugby league player (Auckland, national team) and administrator (born 1923).[161]
• 18 October
  • Fred Goodall, cricket umpire (born 1938).[162]
  • Sean Wainui, rugby union player (Taranaki, Chiefs, Māori All Blacks) (born 1995).[163]
• 19 October – Bob Graham, rugby union player (Auckland, Junior All Blacks) and coach (Auckland) (born 1936).[164]
• 31 October – Dame Catherine Tizard, zoologist (University of Auckland), television personality (Beauty and the Beast), and politician, mayor of Auckland City (1983–1990), governor-general (1990–1996) (born 1931).[165]

• 
  Pam Williams
• 
  Dame Catherine Tizard

• 13 November
  • Michael Corballis, psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist (University of Auckland), Rutherford Medal (2016) (born 1936).[166]
  • Jack Kiddey, cricketer (Canterbury) (born 1929).[167]
  • Keith Mann, British Empire and Commonwealth Games fencer (1962, 1966), and sports administrator (born 1932).[168]
• 15 November – Sir Rod Weir, Hall of Fame stock and station agent and businessman (born 1927).[169]
• 16 November – John Luxton, politician, MP for Matamata (1987–1996) and Karapiro (1996–1999), National list MP (1999–2002), Minister of Police (1994–1996), Minister for Land Information (1996–1999) (born 1946).[170]
• 23 November – Robert Ellis, artist and professor of fine arts (Elam School of Fine Arts) (born 1929).[171]
• 27 November – Jimmy O'Dea, trade unionist and activist (born 1935).[172]

• 
  Sir Rod Weir
• 
  John Luxton

• 2 December – Lyndsey Leask, Hall of Fame softball administrator (born 1935).[173]
• 6 December – Tom Horton, air force pilot and commander (Royal New Zealand Air Force, Royal Air Force) (born 1919).[174]
• 9 December
  • Brian Aldridge, cricket umpire (born 1940).[175]
  • Julie Brougham, Olympic equestrian (2016) (born 1954).[176]
• 12 December – Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi, Tongan noble, deputy prime minister of Tonga (since 2020) (born 1955).[177]
• 24 December – Terry Morrison, rugby union player (Otago, national team) and sprinter (born 1951).[178]
• 26 December – George Johnson, artist (born 1926).[179]
• 27 December – Keri Hulme, writer (The Bone People), Booker Prize (1985) (born 1947).[180]
• 30 December – Billy Harrison, rugby league player (Wellington, national team) (born 1938).[181]

• 
  Tom Horton
• 
  Brian Aldridge
• 
  Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi
• 
  Keri Hulme