1980 in New Zealand - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Population

Estimated Population as of 31 December: 3,176,400
Increase since 31 December 1979: 12,500 (0.40%)
Males per 100 Females: 99.2

Regal and Vice Regal

Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...

- Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand
Monarchy in New Zealand
The monarchy of New Zealand also referred to as The Crown in Right of New Zealand, Her Majesty in Right of New Zealand, or The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of the Realm of New Zealand,...
Governor-General
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....

- The Rt Hon. Sir Keith Holyoake
Keith Holyoake
Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...

KG
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...

GCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....

CH
Order of the Companions of Honour
The Order of the Companions of Honour is an order of the Commonwealth realms. It was founded by King George V in June 1917, as a reward for outstanding achievements in the arts, literature, music, science, politics, industry or religion....

QSO
Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...

, followed by The Hon. Sir David Beattie
David Beattie
-External links:*...

GCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....

GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...

QSO
Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...

QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...

.

Government

39th New Zealand Parliament

The 39th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand which began with the general election held on 25 November 1978, and finished with the general election held on 28 November 1981...

continued. The third National Party government

New Zealand National Party

The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

was in power.

Speaker of the House
Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...

- Richard Harrison.
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...

- Robert Muldoon
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...
Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power....

- Brian Talboys
Brian Talboys
Sir Brian Edward Talboys, CH, KCB, AC, is a former New Zealand politician. He served as Deputy Prime Minister for the first two terms of Robert Muldoon's premiership. If the abortive "Colonels' Coup" against Muldoon had been successful, Talboys would have become Prime Minister himself.-Early...

.
Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....

- Robert Muldoon
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David "Rob" Muldoon, GCMG, CH served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984, as leader of the governing National Party. Muldoon had been a prominent member of the National party and MP for the Tamaki electorate for some years prior to becoming leader of the party...

.
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...

- Brian Talboys
Brian Talboys
Sir Brian Edward Talboys, CH, KCB, AC, is a former New Zealand politician. He served as Deputy Prime Minister for the first two terms of Robert Muldoon's premiership. If the abortive "Colonels' Coup" against Muldoon had been successful, Talboys would have become Prime Minister himself.-Early...

.
Attorney-General
Attorney-General (New Zealand)
The Attorney-General is a political office in New Zealand. It is simultaneously a ministerial position and an administrative office, and has responsibility for supervising New Zealand law and advising the government on legal matters...

- Jim McLay
Jim McLay
James Kenneth McLay, CNZM, QSO , generally known as Jim McLay, is a former New Zealand politician. He was Deputy Prime Minister, leader of the National Party and Leader of the Opposition for a short time. McLay is currently New Zealand's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.-Early...

.

An attempt by high-ranking ministers Derek Quigley

Derek Quigley

Derek Francis Quigley, QSO is a former New Zealand politician. He was a prominent member of the National Party during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and was known for his support of free market economics and trade liberalization...

, Jim McLay

Jim McLay

James Kenneth McLay, CNZM, QSO , generally known as Jim McLay, is a former New Zealand politician. He was Deputy Prime Minister, leader of the National Party and Leader of the Opposition for a short time. McLay is currently New Zealand's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.-Early...

, and Jim Bolger

Jim Bolger

James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...

to replace Muldoon as prime minister (known as the "colonels' coup") with the deputy prime minister Talboys collapsed as a result of Talboys' unwillingness to actively campaign against Muldoon.

Three by-elections occurred.

In East Coast Bays
East Coast Bays by-election 1980
The East Coast Bays by-election of 1980 was a by-election during the 39th New Zealand Parliament in the East Coast Bays electorate. It was prompted by the resignation of Frank Gill, a National Party MP, to take up a position as New Zealand's ambassador to the United States. It resulted in the...

, the sitting National
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

MP Frank Gill resigned to take up the post of New Zealand's ambassador to the United States. The seat was won by Gary Knapp
Gary Knapp
Garry Thomas Knapp was a New Zealand politician of the Social Credit Party.He became Member of Parliament for East Coast Bays in 1980 when he defeated National candidate Don Brash in the 1980 by-election in East Coast Bays caused by the resignation of the sitting National MP...

for the Social Credit Party
Social Credit Party (New Zealand)
The New Zealand Social Credit Party was a political party which served as the country's "third party" from the 1950s through into the 1980s. The party held a number of seats in the New Zealand Parliament, although never more than two at a time...

.
In Northern Maori the MP Matiu Rata
Matiu Rata
Matiu Rata was a New Zealand Māori politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Northern Maori from 1963 to 1979, the Minister of Lands and Minister of Māori Affairs in the Third Labour Government of New Zealand between 1972 and 1975...

, who had left Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

the year before, resigned and recontested the seat for Mana Motuhake
Mana Motuhake
Mana Māori Motuhake was a Māori political party in New Zealand. The name is difficult to translate accurately, but essentially refers to Māori self-rule and self-determination — mana, in this context, can be understood as "authority" or "power", while motuhake can be understood as...

. The seat was won by the Labour Party candidate Bruce Gregory
Bruce Gregory
Bruce Craig Gregory was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.Gregory won the , which was caused by the resignation of the previous incumbent, Matiu Rata and held the seat until 1993, when Tau Henare won the seat for New Zealand First.-References:New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1984...

.
In Onehunga
Onehunga by-election 1980
The Onehunga by-election of 1980 was a by-election for the electorate during the 39th New Zealand Parliament. It was prompted by the death of Frank Rogers, a Labour Party MP. It was held on 7 June 1980 and was won by Fred Gerbic, also of the Labour Party....

a by-election was called after the death of Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

MP Frank Rogers. The seat was won again for the Labour Party by Fred Gerbic
Fred Gerbic
Frederick "Fred" Miroslav Gerbic, MBE was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.-Member of Parliament:He was elected in the ensuing by-election to replace Frank Rogers in the seat of Onehunga when Rogers died in 1980. He retired in 1990, when he was defeated by National's Graham...

.

Parliamentary opposition

Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)
The Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand is the politician who, at least in theory, commands the support of the non-government bloc of members in the New Zealand Parliament. In the debating chamber the Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister...

- Bill Rowling
Bill Rowling
Sir Wallace Edward Rowling, KCMG , often known as Bill Rowling, was the 30th Prime Minister of New Zealand. He was in office for just over a year, having been appointed Prime Minister following the death of the highly popular Norman Kirk...

(Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

).
Social Credit Party
Social Credit Party (New Zealand)
The New Zealand Social Credit Party was a political party which served as the country's "third party" from the 1950s through into the 1980s. The party held a number of seats in the New Zealand Parliament, although never more than two at a time...

- Bruce Beetham
Bruce Beetham
Bruce Craig Beetham was an academic and politician from New Zealand, whose career spanned the 1970s and early 1980s.A lecturer at Hamilton's University of Waikato and at the Hamilton Teacher's Training College, he was elected leader of the Social Credit Party in 1972, at a time when the party was...

Main centre leaders

Mayor of Auckland
Mayor of Auckland
The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...

- Dove-Myer Robinson
Dove-Myer Robinson
Sir Dove-Myer Robinson was Mayor of Auckland City from 1959 to 1965 and from 1968 to 1980, the longest tenure of any holder of the office....

then Colin Kay
Colin Kay
Colin Kay CBE was a New Zealand sportsman and politician. He was the 34th Mayor of Auckland City, elected for one term serving from 1980 to 1983, and chairman of the Auckland Regional Council from 1986 to 1992...
Mayor of Hamilton
Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand
The Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand is the head of the municipal government of Hamilton, New Zealand, and presides over the Hamilton City Council.In the 2010 Local Government elections, Julie Hardaker was elected as mayor, defeating incumbent Bob Simcock....

- Ross Jansen
Mayor of Wellington
Mayor of Wellington
The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...

- Michael Fowler
Mayor of Christchurch
Mayor of Christchurch
The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...

- Hamish Hay
Hamish Hay
Sir Hamish Grenfell Hay was a New Zealand politician, who served as Mayor of Christchurch for fifteen years, from 1974 to 1989.-Early life:...
Mayor of Dunedin
Mayor of Dunedin
The Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....

- Clifford George (Cliff) Skeggs

Events

A strike at Kinleith Mill
Kinleith Mill
The Kinleith Mill is a Carter Holt Harvey pulp and paper plant located at Kinleith, Tokoroa, New Zealand. The mill is the largest of four pulp and paper mills operated by Carter Holt Harvey...

lasted for 80 days, and broke the government's wage and price freeze.
Saturday trading was partially legalised.
The first Sweetwaters Music Festival
Sweetwaters Music Festival
Sweetwaters Music Festival was a series of events held between 1980 and 1999, at venues such as a farm in Ngaruawahia, then further north on a farm near Pukekawa, and finally at South Auckland, New Zealand.- Events:*1980 - Ngaruawahia*1981 - Ngaruawahia...

was held near Ngaruawahia
Ngaruawahia
Ngāruawāhia is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 20 km north-west of Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato and Waipa Rivers...

.
The carless days
Carless days
Carless days were introduced by the Muldoon government of New Zealand on 30 July 1979. The enabling legislation was one of several unsuccessful attempts to help the declining New Zealand economy after the oil shocks of the late 1970s - other such policies included the Think Big strategy.In this...

scheme finished.

Arts and literature

Philip Temple
Philip Temple
Philip Temple is a Dunedin-based New Zealand author of novels, children's stories, and non-fiction...

wins the Robert Burns Fellowship
Robert Burns Fellowship
The Robert Burns Fellowship, established in 1958 as a bicentennial celebration, is claimed to be New Zealand's premier literary residency. The list of past fellows includes many of New Zealand's most notable writers....

.

See 1980 in art

1980 in art

-Events:* May–September - Pablo Picasso Retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, the largest and most complete Picasso exhibition ever held in the United States....

, 1980 in literature

1980 in literature

The year 1980 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Marguerite Yourcenar becomes the first woman to be elected to the Académie française....

, :Category:1980 books

New Zealand Music Awards
New Zealand Music Awards
The New Zealand Music Awards show, is a major annual New Zealand music event where musical acts and singers are awarded each year. It has occurred every year since 1965 to outstanding New Zealand musicians and groups....

ALBUM OF THE YEAR Sharon O'Neill
Sharon O'Neill
-Albums:*1979 - This Heart This Song*1980 - Sharon O'Neill*1980 - Words*1981 - Maybe*1983 - Foreign Affairs*1983 - Smash Palace *1984 - So Far - The Best 14...

- Sharon O'Neill
SINGLE OF THE YEAR Jon Stevens
Jon Stevens
Jon Stevens is a New Zealand-born singer of Maori descent, now an Australian citizen. Stevens is the brother of New Zealand Idol judge Frankie Stevens....

– Montego Bay
TOP MALE VOCALIST Jon Stevens
TOP FEMALE VOCALIST Sharon O'Neill
TOP GROUP The Crocodiles
The Crocodiles
The Crocodiles was a New Zealand pop band formed in 1979 with lead singer Jenny Morris, who went on to commercial success as a solo artist in Australia; and later included drummer Barton Price who subsequently joined Sardine v and then Models...
MOST PROMISING MALE VOCALIST Jon Stevens
MOST PROMISING GROUP Crocodiles
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Dave MaCrae & Kevin Oliff – Pacific Eardrum (Pacific Eardrum)
ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Tony Burns - Pacific Eardrum (Pacific Eardrum)
BEST COVER Peter Burt – Pacific Eardrum (Pacific Eardrum)
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION Terence O’Neill-Joyce

See: 1980 in music

1980 in music

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1980.-January–March:*January 1**Cliff Richard is appointed an MBE by Elizabeth II.**The Zorros audition drummer Greg Pedley....

Radio and Television

Television One and South Pacific Television
South Pacific Television
South Pacific Television was a television channel in New Zealand, which operated between 1976 and 1980.- The Early Days :The channel, then known as TV 2, first went to air on June 30, 1975...

are merged into Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand
Television New Zealand, more commonly referred to, and stylized as TVNZ, is a government-owned corporation television network broadcasting in New Zealand and parts of the Pacific. It operates TV1, TV2, TVNZ7, TVNZ Heartland, TVNZ U and new media services....

.
The national newsroom is moved from Avalon in Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt
Lower Hutt is a city in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Its council has adopted the name Hutt City Council, but neither the New Zealand Geographic Board nor the Local Government Act recognise the name Hutt City. This alternative name can lead to confusion, as there are two cities in the...

to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

. http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz/pdf/tvnz_timeline.pdf

Feltex Television Awards:
- Best Information: Country Calendar
  Country Calendar
  Country Calendar is a television series covering rural life in New Zealand. Established in March 1966 and screening every year since, it is New Zealand's longest-running television series...
- Best Documentary: From the Ocean to the Sky
- Best Drama: Children of Fire Mountain
  Children of Fire Mountain
  Children of Fire Mountain was a 13 part miniseries from New Zealand made in 1979. In the UK it was screened by the BBC in 1980, and repeated on Channel 4 in 1989...
- Best Speciality: 1979 SPT International Track Series
- Best Children's: Spot On
- Best Script: Episode five of Children of Fire Mountain
- Best Actor: Terence Cooper
  Terence Cooper
  Terence Cooper was a film actor.Born in 1933 at Carnmoney, today an area within the borough of Newtownabbey near Belfast, Northern Ireland, Cooper is most famous for appearing in the 1967 film, Casino Royale, a James Bond satire based on Ian Fleming's first Bond novel of the same name...
  
  in Children of Fire Mountain
- Best Actress: Ginette McDonald as Sandra Allenby in It's Your Child
- Best Television Entertainer: David McPhail
  David McPhail
  David Alexander McPhail, ONZM, QSM is a New Zealand comedic actor and writer. He is most famous for the political satire show McPhail and Gadsby in which he co-starred with Jon Gadsby....

See: 1980 in New Zealand television, 1980 in television

1980 in television

The year 1980 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1980.For the American TV schedule, see: 1980-81 American network television schedule.-Events:...

, List of TVNZ television programming, :Category:New Zealand television, :Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand

Public broadcasting in New Zealand

For information on public broadcasting in New Zealand, see:* New Zealand On Air, funding body* Television in New Zealand** Television New Zealand** Māori Television* List of radio stations in New Zealand** Radio New Zealand...

Film

Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Beyond Reasonable Doubt (film)
Beyond Reasonable Doubt is a 1980 New Zealand docu-drama feature film about the conviction of Arthur Allan Thomas, later pardoned, for the murder of Harvey and Jeanette Crewe in 1970....
Goodbye Pork Pie
Goodbye Pork Pie
Goodbye Pork Pie is a 1981 New Zealand film directed by Geoff Murphy and written by Geoff Murphy and Ian Mune. The film is considered to be one of New Zealand's most popular films, and has been described as Easy Rider meets the Keystone Kops....
Lincoln County Incident
Squeeze (film)

See: :Category:1980 film awards, 1980 in film

1980 in film

- Events :* May 21 - Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is released and is the biggest grosser of the year ....

, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand

Cinema of New Zealand

New Zealand cinema, can refer to films made by New Zealand-based production companies in New Zealand. However, it may also refer to films made about New Zealand by filmmakers from other countries...

, :Category:1980 films

Appointments and awards

See: New Zealand Order of Merit

New Zealand Order of Merit

The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...

, Order of New Zealand

Order of New Zealand

The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in New Zealand's honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity"...

Archbishop of New Zealand
Archbishop of New Zealand
The Archbishop of New Zealand is the primate, or head, of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia. However, since Whakahuihui Vercoe stepped down at the end of his two-year term as archbishop in 2006, the church has decided that three bishops shall share the position and style of...
Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia
The Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia is a church of the Anglican Communion serving New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands...

, see appointments to Diocese

Athletics

Don Greig wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:17:08 on 15 March in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

, while the first women's championship is won by Beverley Shingles in 2:44:48.

Chess

The 87th New Zealand Chess Championship
New Zealand Chess Championship
The New Zealand Chess Championship was first conducted in 1879.Note: Up until 1934 foreign players were eligible for the title. The eligibility rules were changed in 1935 to preclude this; John Angus Erskine was born in Invercargill and was therefore eligible although he was domiciled in...

is held in Upper Hutt. There is a three-way tie between Ewen McGowen Green
Ewen McGowen Green
Ewen McGowen Green is a freelance chess teacher in Auckland, New Zealand.Green attained FIDE Master status in 1992. In 1979-80 he won the New Zealand Chess Championship along with Vernon A. Small and Ortvin Sarapu and has also been an Olympiad player .-References:...

, Ortvin Sarapu
Ortvin Sarapu
Ortvin Sarapu MBE , sometimes known as "Mr Chess", was a New Zealand chess International Master who won or co-won the New Zealand Chess Championship 20 times between 1952 and 1990.-Early life:Born Ortvin Sarapuu in Estonia, he won the Estonian Junior Championship in 1940, then defected to Finland...

, and Vernon A. Small.

Harness racing

New Zealand Trotting Cup
New Zealand Trotting Cup
The New Zealand Trotting Cup or New Zealand Cup is a Group One harness race held annually by the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is considered the country's most prestigious harness racing event. the prize was NZ$750,000, the largest prize for a...

: Hands Down
Auckland Trotting Cup
Auckland Trotting Cup
The Auckland Trotting Cup or Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in March in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year. It is notable as it is a Group 1 championship race over...

: Delightful Lady

Olympic games

New Zealand at the 1980 Summer Olympics
New Zealand at the 1980 Summer Olympics
New Zealand did not officially participate in the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, USSR as the government of that time supported the US-led boycott. Four New Zealand athletes competed as independents under the banner of the NZOCGA.-Canoeing:...
New Zealand at the 1980 Winter Olympics
New Zealand at the 1980 Winter Olympics
New Zealand competed at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, United States.- Alpine skiing:MenWomen-References:**...

Rugby union

In the 1980 New Zealand rugby union tour of Australia in June / July Australia won two of the three tests, retaining the Bledisloe Cup
Bledisloe Cup
Rugby Union's Bledisloe Cup is contested by the Australia national rugby union team and New Zealand national rugby union team. It is named after Lord Bledisloe, the former Governor-General of New Zealand who donated the trophy in 1931. The trophy was designed in New Zealand by Nelson Isaac, and...
23 July: The All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....

beat Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...

30—6 at Fiji National Stadium
13 September: The All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....

beat Fiji
Fiji national rugby union team
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...

33—0 at Eden Park
Eden Park
Eden Park is the biggest stadium in Auckland, New Zealand. It is used primarily for rugby union in winter and cricket in summer . The ground also occasionally hostts rugby league matches. To accommodate all three sports, the cricket pitch is removable...
8 October—1 November: All Blacks tour of North America and Wales
1980 New Zealand rugby union tour of Wales
The 1980 New Zealand tour of Wales was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the New Zealand All Blacks against Wales that also took in two international games in North America en route to South Wales...
Auckland defend the Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...

against five challengers (Horowhenua 37—3, King Country 29—3, Poverty Bay 19—12, Southland 25—3, and Otago 43—13) before losing to Waikato 3—7. Waikato then beat Thames Valley 16—7 and Taranaki 15—0 to retain the shield at the end of the season.
National Provincial Championship
National Provincial Championship
The National Provincial Championship, or NPC, is the major domestic rugby competition in New Zealand. The NPC has seen many alterations to its format and brand. Since 2006 the National Championship has been split into 2 competitions, the ITM Cup and the Heartland Championship...

winners:
- Division 1: Manawatu
  Manawatu Rugby Union
  Manawatu Rugby Union is the governing body of the sport of Rugby union in the Manawatu rugby province. The Union is based in the city of Palmerston North but has a catchment area from nearby towns in the province, including Feilding, Rongotea, Linton, Bulls, Pahiatua, Dannevirke and...
  
  .
- Division 2 North: Waikato
- Division 2 South: Mid Canterbury
The North vs South
North vs South rugby union match
The North vs South match, sometimes known as the Interisland match was a longstanding rugby union fixture in New Zealand.The first game was played in 1897, and the match became an annual fixture from 1902...

match is played in Palmerston North and is won 13-9 by North.

Soccer

New Zealand National Soccer League
New Zealand National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is a name given to competitions in which New Zealand's top soccer clubs play each other, at least two times, on a home and away basis . At the completion of the competition, the best-performed team is declared as the New Zealand champion...

won by Mount Wellington
The Chatham Cup
1980 Chatham Cup
The 1980 Chatham Cup was the 53rd annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Early stages of the competition were run in three regions , with the National League teams receiving a bye until the Fourth Round of the competition. In all, 93 teams took part in the competition...

is won by Mount Wellington who beat Dunedin City
Dunedin City
Dunedin City is a former New Zealand football club based in the South Island city of Dunedin. The team won the Chatham Cup in 1981, and was a member of the National League in 1977 and 1979-87, before withdrawing from the league for financial reasons...

2—0 in the final.
New Zealand
New Zealand national soccer team
The New Zealand national football team, nicknamed the All Whites, is the national association football team of New Zealand and is governed by New Zealand Football . The team plays in an all-white strip rather than the traditional New Zealand sporting black due to a former FIFA regulation that...

was unplaced in the Oceania Cup
OFC Nations Cup
The OFC Nations Cup is an international association football tournament held among the Oceania Football Confederation member nations. It was held every two years from 1996 to 2004; before 1996 there were two other tournaments held at irregular intervals, under the name Oceania Nations Cup...

tournament held in New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...

Births

15 January: Jason Cayless
Jason Cayless
Jason Paul Cayless is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. A New Zealand international representative prop forward, he is the younger brother of Parramatta Eels great, Nathan Cayless. He played his club football for the Sydney Roosters, with whom he won the 2002...

, rugby league player.
31 January: Sam Harris
Sam Harris (rugby league footballer)
Samuel Richard Harris is a former professional rugby footballer of the 2000s. He played representative rugby league for Sydney and in the National Rugby League for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers clubs. His usual position was in the second row...

, rugby league and rugby union player.
2 February: Kyle Pontifex, field hockey player.
10 February: Riki Flutey
Riki Flutey
Riki John Flutey is a New Zealand born rugby union footballer who plays at centre or fly-half for London Wasps in the Aviva Premiership....

, rugby union player.
21 February: Clinton Toopi
Clinton Toopi
Clinton Toopi is a professional rugby footballer who is currently playing for the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League. His usual position is centre.-Playing career:...

, rugby league player.
4 March: Scott Hamilton
Scott Hamilton (rugby player)
Scott Elliot Hamilton is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays for Leicester Tigers in the Guinness Premiership. He previously played for the Crusaders in the Super 14, Canterbury in the New Zealand NPC competition and for his club in North Canterbury Glenmark...

, rugby union player.
6 March: Gareth Fleming, musician.
9 March: Trent Croad
Trent Croad
Trent Eric Croad is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .During his 222 game AFL career, he achieved some of the Australian Football League's highest honours including an AFL premiership medallion, All-Australian selection, representing...

, Australian rules footballer.
14 April: Jeremy Smith
Jeremy Smith (rugby league 2)
Jeremy Jon Oscar Smith is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks of the National Rugby League...

, rugby league player.
15 April: Willie Mason
Willie Mason
William Marshall "Willie" Mason is an Australian professional rugby union footballer for Toulon in the Top 14 competition, having previously being a rugby league footballer for Hull KR in the European Super League.Mason signed a 3-year contract with Hull KR in September 2010, pending a successful...

, rugby league player.
16 April: David Hall
David Hall (rugby player)
David George Hall in ) is a New Zealand rugby union player. He currently plays as a Hooker or Number 8 for the Southland Stags in the Air New Zealand Cup. He comes from a rugby background being the grand nephew of former All Black and Southland legend Les George.-Early rugby career:Hall started...

, rugby union player.
22 April: Clarke Dermody
Clarke Dermody
Clarke Dermody is a New Zealand rugby union footballer. He plays as a prop. He was first selected for the All Blacks in 2006 for the test series against Ireland and Argentina ....

, rugby union player.
25 April: Phillip Burrows, field hockey player.
25 April: Bruce Martin
Bruce Martin
Bruce Philip Martin is a New Zealand cricketer who played for the Northern Districts for 10 years, in the State Championship and Northland in the Hawke Cup, and in 2011 debuted for The Auckland Aces...

, cricketer.
7 May: Jeetan Patel
Jeetan Patel
Jeetan Shashi Patel is a New Zealand cricketer of Indian descent. Patel is a right arm off spin bowler. He plays domestic cricket for the Wellington Firebirds and has represented the New Zealand Black Caps in One Day Internationals, Twenty20 matches, and Test cricket.Patel was earmarked as a...

, cricketer.
8 May: Steven Ferguson
Steven Ferguson
Steven Sean Ferguson is a sprint canoeist, surf lifesaver and former swimmer from New Zealand.Ferguson was born in Auckland, New Zealand, the son of four-times Olympic gold medal winning canoeist Ian Ferguson....

, canoer and swimmer.
10 May: Brad Carter, musician.
13 May: Ken Uprichard
Ken Uprichard
Kenneth Philip Uprichard is an athlete from New Zealand, who competes in archery.Uprichard competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics and the 2004 Summer Olympics in men's individual archery. In 2000 he placed 48th, and in 2004 he was defeated in the first round of elimination, placing 40th...

, archer.
21 May: Anika Moa
Anika Moa
Anika Rose Moa is a New Zealand pop recording artist. In 2001 she signed to Atlantic Records in the United States and released her debut album, Thinking Room, the album reached the top of the New Zealand Singles Chart and was a commercial success.Moa was raised in Christchurch, New Zealand...

, singer/songwriter.
24 May: William Trubridge
William Trubridge
William Trubridge is a world champion and double world record holding free-diver from New Zealand.Trubridge currently holds the world record in the Free Immersion and the Constant Weight without fins disciplines, and is the first human ever to break the 100m barrier unassisted.World Records:•...

, free-diver.
30 May: Henry Fa'afili
Henry Fa'afili
Henry Fa'afili is a Samoan rugby player. He originally played Rugby league but switched codes in 2007 to play rugby union for Biarritz Olympique. He is currently signed to Connacht Rugby in the Celtic League after departing Leeds Carnegie in June 2011. Fa'afili's position of choice is on the Wing...

, rugby league player.
16 June: Henry Perenara
Henry Perenara
Henry Edward Perenara is a New Zealand rugby league referee and former professional player who represented his country. His position of choice is at Lock though he can also play in the Second Row...

, rugby league player.
7 July: Benjamin Mitchell, actor.
22 July: Scott Dixon
Scott Dixon
Scott Ronald Dixon, MNZM is a New Zealand motor racer who became the most successful all-time driver in the Indy Racing League championship in the United States when he won the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio in August 2009. This took his total to 21 wins...

, racing car driver.
31 July (in Samoa): Mils Muliaina
Mils Muliaina
Junior Malili Muliaina , better known as Mils Muliaina, is a rugby union player. He plays for the Chiefs in Super Rugby and New Zealand at international level. He was born in Salesi, Samoa, then moved with his family to Invercargill, New Zealand, at the age of two...

, rugby union player.
10 August: Pua Magasiva
Pua Magasiva
Pua Magasiva is a Samoan New Zealand actor, who is perhaps known for his roles as Shane Clarke, the Red Ranger from Power Rangers: Ninja Storm, and Nurse Vinnie Kruse in New Zealand soap Shortland Street.-Biography:...

, actor.
12 August: Blair Hopping, field hockey player.
14 August: Nick Evans, rugby union player.
31 August: Hayden Shaw
Hayden Shaw
Hayden Jonathan Shaw is a field hockey player from New Zealand, who earned his first cap for the national team, nicknamed The Black Sticks, in 2002 against Australia. He has played for HC 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.Shaw is often involved in penalty corner set moves and can perform a drag...

, field hockey player.
1 September: Ryan Archibald, field hockey player.
4 September: Lucie Silvas
Lucie Silvas
Lucie Silvas is a British singer-songwriter.- Early life :...

, singer/songwriter.
9 September: David Fa'alogo
David Fa'alogo
David Fa'alogo is a professional rugby league footballer with the Huddersfield Giants of Super League, formerly contracted with the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the National Rugby League...

, rugby player.
12 September: Clifford Manua
Clifford Manua
Clifford Manua is a New Zealand rugby league player for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League competition. His position of choice is at Prop Forward though he can also play in the Second Row...

, rugby player.
23 September: Shannon Paku
Shannon Paku
Shannon Paku is a New Zealand rugby union player, who has played for the Hurricanes in the Super 14 competition, and for the Vodafone Wellington Lions who play in the Air New Zealand Cup....

, rugby player.
25 September: Luc Mullinder
Luc Mullinder
Luc Mullinder is a professional Canadian football defensive end for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. Mullinder was originally drafted 31st overall by the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the 2004 CFL Draft and spent the first eight years of his career with the team...

, Canadian Football player.
10 October: Tasesa Lavea
Tasesa Lavea
Tasesa James Lavea is a New Zealand rugby union footballer of Samoan descent and heritage, who currently plays for English club Sale Sharks.-Career:...

, rugby union and rugby league player.
29 October: Kaine Robertson
Kaine Robertson
Paul Kaine Robertson Paul Kaine Robertson Paul Kaine Robertson (born 29 October 1980 in Auckland is a rugby union player from New Zealand who plays rugby union for Aironi, and international rugby for Italy.Robertson moved to Italy in 1998....

, rugby player.
4 November: Jerry Collins
Jerry Collins
Jerry Collins is a New Zealand rugby union footballer who formerly played for the national team, the All Blacks in which he was capped 48 times. He now plays for Yamaha Jubilo, in Japanese Top league rugby.-Early career:...

, rugby player.
7 November: James Franklin, cricketer.
8 November: Brent Webb
Brent Webb
Brent Webb is an Australian-born New Zealand rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Leeds in the Super League. Webb plays as a full-back and is a former New Zealand international.-Early years:...

, rugby player.
23 November: Kirk Penney
Kirk Penney
Kirk Samuel Penney is a New Zealander professional basketball player.-University of Wisconsin :...

, basketball player.
25 November: Michael Wilson
Michael Wilson (soccer)
Michael David Wilson is a retired New Zealand soccer midfielder who most recently played for the Ecuadorian club Aucas. Wilson played college soccer at Stanford University and represented New Zealand at the international level....

, soccer player.
29 November: Aaron Mauger
Aaron Mauger
Aaron Joseph Douglas Mauger is a former rugby union player who played at centre for Leicester Tigers. He previously played first five-eighths and second five-eighths for Canterbury , the Crusaders and the New Zealand All Blacks...

, rugby player.
5 December: Heath Blackgrove
Heath Blackgrove
Heath Blackgrove is a New Zealand professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:20022003Heath Blackgrove is a New Zealand professional racing cyclist.-Career highlights:2002...

, cyclist.
17 December: Tim Youngson, musician.
24 December: Andrew Barron
Andrew Barron
Andrew Barron is a retired New Zealand association football player. Barron, naturally a central midfielder last played for Team Wellington in the New Zealand Football Championship and was also an All White who played at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, making him one of very few amateur All Whites in...

, football (soccer) player.
31 December: Richie McCaw
Richie McCaw
Richard Hugh "Richie" McCaw is a New Zealand rugby union player, and is the current test captain. He plays in the openside flanker position for the New Zealand, Crusaders and Canterbury rugby teams...

, rugby player.

Mike Mayhew, artist.
Ben Goodger
Ben Goodger
Ben Goodger is a former employee of Netscape Communications Corporation and the Mozilla Foundation and former lead developer of the Firefox web browser....

, lead developer of the Firefox
Mozilla Firefox
Mozilla Firefox is a free and open source web browser descended from the Mozilla Application Suite and managed by Mozilla Corporation. , Firefox is the second most widely used browser, with approximately 25% of worldwide usage share of web browsers...

web browser.

Deaths

12 April: Clark McConachy
Clark McConachy
Clark McConachy, MBE was a New Zealand professional player of English billiards and snooker.His endurance and longevity as a sportsman was astonishing. He was the New Zealand professional billiards champion from 1914 until 1980...

, snooker and billiards player.
15 May: Len Lye
Len Lye
Len Lye, born Leonard Charles Huia Lye , was a Christchurch, New Zealand-born artist known primarily for his experimental films and kinetic sculpture. His films are held in archives such as the New Zealand Film Archive, British Film Institute, Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and the Pacific...

, sculptor, artist, writer and film-maker.
2 August: Verdun Scott
Verdun Scott
Verdun John Scott, born 31 July 1916 and died at Devonport, New Zealand on 2 August 1980, was a sportsman who represented New Zealand in both Test cricket and rugby league. As of 2011 he is the only player to have done so.-Rugby league career:...

, cricketer.
9 August: Denis Glover
Denis Glover
Lieutenant Commander Denis James Matthews Glover DSC was a New Zealand poet and publisher.Well-known for radical leftist opinions, he was often in trouble with authorities. In 1935 he founded the Caxton Press, which he used to encourage a less sentimental style of poetry in New Zealand than was...

, poet and publisher.
28 November: Air Commodore Keith Caldwell
Keith Caldwell
Air Commodore Keith Logan "Grid" Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & Bar was a New Zealand fighter ace of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I who also rose to the rank of Air Commodore in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II.-Early life:Born in Wellington, the son of David Robert Caldwell and...

MC DFC, WWI flying ace.
28 November: Bernard Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae
Bernard Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae
Bernard Edward Fergusson, Baron Ballantrae, KT, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, OBE was a brigadier in the British Army, military historian and the last British-born Governor-General of New Zealand.- Military service :...

, Governor-General.
5 December: Don Taylor
Don Taylor (cricketer)
Donald Dougald Taylor was a New Zealand cricketer who played in 3 Tests from 1947 to 1956. He achieved a world record of over 200 runs for the opening with his batting partner Bert Sutcliffe. His nickname was "Bloke", because of his frequent use of the word....

, cricketer.

Norman Shelton
Norman Shelton
Norman Leslie Shelton, CBE was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Rangitikei electorate from 1954 to 1972, when he retired....

, politician.
Logan Sloane
Logan Sloane
Logan Francis Sloane was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the seat of Hobson in Northland from 1960 to 1966, and from 1969 to 1975, when he retired....

, politician.