2008 in New Zealand

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 4,280,300.{{Cite web |title=Historical population estimates tables |url=http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231000952/http://archive.stats.govt.nz/browse_for_stats/population/estimates_and_projections/historical-population-tables.aspx |archive-date=31 December 2017 |publisher=Statistics New Zealand}}
• Increase since 31 December 2007: 34,500 (0.81%).
• Males per 100 Females: 95.7.

• Monarch – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Anand Satyanand

File:Garter Queen.jpg|Elizabeth II

File:Anand Satyanand.JPG|Anand Satyanand

2008 was the third and last year of the 48th Parliament, which was dissolved on 3 October. A general election was held on 8 November to elect the 49th Parliament, which saw the Fifth National Government elected.

• Speaker of the House – Margaret Wilson then Lockwood Smith
• Prime Minister – Helen Clark to 19 November, then John Key
• Deputy Prime Minister – Michael Cullen to 19 November, then Bill English
• Minister of Finance – Michael Cullen to 19 November, then Bill English
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Winston Peters to 29 August, then Helen Clark (acting) to 19 November, then Murray McCully

File:Margaret Wilson crop.jpg|Margaret Wilson

File:Lockwood Smith (cropped).jpg|Lockwood Smith

File:Helen Clark UNDP 2010.jpg|Helen Clark

File:John Key by UNDP.jpg|John Key

File:Michael Cullen, 2008.jpg|Michael Cullen

File:Bill English KNZM (cropped).jpg|Bill English

File:Winston Peters, 2011.jpg|Winston Peters

File:Murray McCully Estonia 2010 (cropped).jpg|Murray McCully

• Labour – Helen Clark to 11 November, then Phil Goff
• National – John Key
• Progressive – Jim Anderton
• New Zealand First – Winston Peters
• United Future – Peter Dunne
• Act – Rodney Hide
• Greens – Jeanette Fitzsimons and Russel Norman
• Māori Party – Tariana Turia and Pita Sharples

File:Helen Clark 2.jpg|Helen Clark

File:Phil Goff opens the Maritime Union of New Zealand Conference 2009 (4051339584).jpg|Phil Goff

File:John Key National Party2.jpg|John Key

File:Jim Anderton, 2010.jpg|Jim Anderton

File:WinstonPetersEuropa.jpg|Winston Peters

File:Peter Dunne.jpg|Peter Dunne

File:Rodney Hide at parliament.JPG|Rodney Hide

File:JeanetteFitzsimons.png|Jeanette Fitzsimons

File:Russel Norman2.jpg|Russel Norman

File:Pita sharples.jpg|Pita Sharples

• Chief Justice — Sian Elias

File:Sian Elias.jpg|Dame Sian Elias

• Mayor of Auckland – John Banks
• Mayor of Tauranga – Stuart Crosby
• Mayor of Hamilton – Bob Simcock
• Mayor of Wellington – Kerry Prendergast
• Mayor of Christchurch – Bob Parker
• Mayor of Dunedin – Peter Chin

File:John Banks.jpg|John Banks

File:Stuart Crosby.jpg|Stuart Crosby

File:Kerry Prendergast, 2011.jpg|Kerry Prendergast

File:Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker.jpg|Bob Parker

File:Peter Chin 2010 Otago Rally.jpg|Peter Chin

• 22 January – State funeral for Sir Edmund Hillary

• 17 February – A helicopter and a Cessna 152 collide mid-air in Paraparaumu, causing the deaths of three people. The aeroplane hit the roof of a house, and the helicopter fell onto a PlaceMakers store.{{Cite news |date=17 February 2008 |title=Mid-air collision above Paraparaumu claims third life |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mid-air-collision-above-paraparaumu-claims-third-life/CEPI5OZGA77I36FSYYTGYJDTO4/ |access-date=4 November 2024 |work=The New Zealand Herald}}{{Cite news |date=18 December 2014 |title=Deadly mid-air crash 'could have been prevented' |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/64266097/deadly-mid-air-crash-could-have-been-prevented |access-date=4 November 2024 |work=Stuff}}

• 5 April – A propane explosion at a coolstore in Tamahere kills firefighter senior station officer Derek Lovell, and seriously injures seven others.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/fatal-coolstore-fire/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501820&objectid=10533690|title=Coolstore fire report calls for overhaul |last=Ihaka|first=James |date=23 September 2008|work=New Zealand Herald |access-date=6 January 2009}}

• 8 May – The Tapuae Marine Reserve is established.{{cite web |url=http://beehive.govt.nz/release/new-marine-reserve-taranaki-coast |title=New marine reserve off the Taranaki coast |date=8 May 2008 |website=beehive.govt.nz/ |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=13 April 2014}}

• 5 June – A newly redesigned flag for the Governor General of New Zealand is flown for the first time at Government House, Auckland.{{cite web|url=http://www.gg.govt.nz/features/|access-date=15 September 2008|title=The Governor-General’s new flag| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081014033632/http://gg.govt.nz/features/| archive-date= 14 October 2008 | url-status= live}}

• 1 July – Rail transport network is renationalised as KiwiRail
• 11 July – Police Sergeant Derek Wootton (52) is struck and killed by a vehicle fleeing police, while laying road spikes at Titahi Bay.{{cite web|url=http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/423466/1906711|title=Full police funeral for Wootton|date=14 July 2008|publisher=TVNZ|access-date=6 January 2009}}
• 30 July – A state of emergency is declared in Marlborough due to flooding.{{Cite web |title=Declared States of Emergency |url=https://www.civildefence.govt.nz/resources/previous-emergencies/declared-states-of-emergency |access-date=2024-04-23 |website=www.civildefence.govt.nz |language=en}}

• 1 August – Crown entities Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand merge to form the NZ Transport Agency
• 16 August – Dunedin Hospital is put in lockdown for a week after approximately 170 staff and patients fall ill to a norovirus outbreak, resulting in 2,300 appointments and procedures being delayed.{{cite web|url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/19034/dunedin-hospital-lift-lockdown|title=Dunedin Hospital to lift lockdown|last=Schofield|first=Edith|date=22 August 2008|work=Otago Daily Times |access-date=25 August 2008}}

• 5 September – Fonterra advise Prime Minister Helen Clark of the 2008 baby milk scandal.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/world/asia/16milk.html|title=Chinese Baby Formula Scandal Widens as 2nd Death Is Announced|last=Yardley|first=Jim|date=15 September 2008|work=The New York Times|access-date=16 September 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081210083010/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/world/asia/16milk.html| archive-date=10 December 2008| url-status= live}}
• 7 September – The Taputeranga Marine Reserve is opened.{{cite web |url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/node/34606 |title=Opening of Taputeranga Marine Reserve |date=7 September 2008 |website=beehive.govt.nz/ |publisher=New Zealand Government |access-date=13 April 2014}}
• 11 September – Undercover police Sergeant Don Wilkinson (47) is fatally shot in Māngere, after being discovered attempting to secretly fix a tracking device to a car.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10532087|title=Single shot among many killed officer |last=Milne|first=Rebecca |date=14 September 2008|work=New Zealand Herald |access-date=18 October 2008}}
• 24 September - GO Wellington dispute - an industrial dispute between the GO Wellington bus company and drivers

On the 17th The Dominion Post Billboard Heading Reads "Market Madness"

There is also a graph on the Billboard showing the NZX taking a big dive .

This was indicative of the worlds sharemarkets in turmoil.

File:John Key and family.jpg at the SkyCity in Auckland, in November 2008.]]

• 8 November – John Key and the New Zealand National Party win the 2008 general election. John Key is able to form a Government and in Helen Clark's speech that she resigns as leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.
• 9 November – Michael Cullen resigns as deputy leader of the Labour Party.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-election-2008/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501799&objectid=10542042|title=Cullen resigns after election defeat|work=New Zealand Herald |date=9 November 2008|access-date=9 November 2008}}
• 19 November – John Key is sworn in as Prime Minister of New Zealand.
• 27 November – 2008 Air New Zealand A320 test flight crash. Air New Zealand A320 Airbus crashes into the Mediterranean during a test flight, killing five New Zealand and two German air crew.{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/11/27/airbus.france.crash/ |title=Airbus A320 crashes into sea off France |date=28 November 2008 |publisher=CNN |access-date=6 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201091043/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/11/27/airbus.france.crash/ |archive-date=1 December 2008 |url-status=live }}

• 6 February – Waitangi Day
• 21 March – Good Friday
• 23 March – Easter Sunday
• 24 March – Easter Monday
• 25 April – Anzac Day
• 2 June – Queen's Birthday
• 5 June – Matariki
• 27 October – Labour Day

• {{cite book|last=Brower|first=Ann|title=Who Owns the High Country? The controversial story of tenure review in New Zealand|publisher=Craig Potton Publishing|location=New Zealand: Nelson|date=August 2008|isbn=978-1-877333-78-1}}
• {{cite book|last=Catton|first=Eleanor|author-link=Eleanor Catton|title=The Rehearsal|publisher=Victoria University Press|location=New Zealand|date=2008|isbn=978-1-84708-116-2}}

• BPANZ Book Design Awards - In association with Spectrum Print and the New Zealand Listener [http://bpanz.org.nz/?page id=13]
• BEST BOOK Title: Bill Hammond: Jingle Jangle Morning
• BEST COVER Winner: Bill Hammond: Jingle Jangle Morning
• NON-ILLUSTRATED Winner: Dear to Me
• ILLUSTRATED Winner: Bill Hammond: Jingle Jangle Morning
• EDUCATIONAL Winner: Astronomy Aotearoa NCEA Level 1 by Robert Shaw {{ISBN|978-0-7339-9261-2}}{{cite web |title=Astronomy Aotearoa |url=http://www.astronomyaotearoa.net/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080705091330/http://astronomyaotearoa.net/ |archive-date=5 July 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=27 April 2009 |df=dmy-all }}
• CHILDREN’S Winner: The King's Bubbles by Ruth Paul

• May - New Zealand Music Month
• 3 September: Technical Awards for the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards
• 8 October: Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Suzanne Lynch MNZM.

• Freeview (New Zealand) Digital television is launched.
• The country's first Chinese television channel, CTV8 (Chinese Television 8) is launched in early October.

• New Zealand men's cricket team, the Black Caps plays three test matches against England and draws the series, each team having won a game

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Changeover[http://www.newzealandatoz.com/index.php?pageid=962&New+Zealand+Trotting+Cup List of NZ Trotting cup winners]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Gotta Go Cullen[http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm Auckland Trotting cup at hrnz.co.nz] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617211531/http://www.hrnz.co.nz/data/major_races/major_race2.htm |date=17 June 2009 }}

• The ANZ Netball Championship begins in April 2008.

{{main|New Zealand at the 2008 Summer Olympics}}

• New Zealand sends a team of 182 competitors across 17 sports.

{{main|New Zealand at the 2008 Summer Paralympics}}

• New Zealand sends a team of 30 competitors across seven sports.

• The New Zealand national rugby league team won the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
• The New Zealand Warriors finished 8th in the National Rugby League and in the playoffs made it through to the semi-finals, beating minor premiers the Melbourne Storm in the progress.
• The inaugural season of the new Bartercard Premiership saw Auckland defeat Canterbury 38-10 in the grand final.

• Ballinger Belt – Brian Carter (Te Puke){{cite web|url=http://www.nranz.com/competitions/ballinger_belt |title=New Zealand champion shot / Ballinger Belt winners |publisher=National Rifle Association of New Zealand |access-date=18 April 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150125012900/http://www.nranz.com/competitions/ballinger_belt |archive-date=25 January 2015 |df=dmy }}

• 30 October – 16 November – New Zealand hosts the inaugural FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup. Matches are held in Albany, Christchurch, Hamilton and Wellington.
• The Chatham Cup is won by East Coast Bays AFC who beat Dunedin Technical 1—0 in the final.[http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html Chatham Cup records, nzsoccer.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090314234154/http://www.nzsoccer.com/page/chatham_cup_records.html |date=14 March 2009 }}

• 17 March - Nate Wilbourne, environmentalist and activist
• 12 August – Dwayne Li, figure skater
• 18 September – Silent Achiever, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 23 September – Zurella, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 13 October – Ocean Park, Thoroughbred racehorse

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

• 1 January – Joan Dingley, mycologist (born 1916)
• 2 January – Lindsay Poole, botanist and forester (born 1908)
• 4 January
• Graham Percy, artist, designer and illustrator (born 1938)
• Bert Walker, politician (born 1919)
• 6 January – Charlie Steele, Jr., association football player (born 1930)
• 10 January – Sir George Laking, diplomat (born 1912)
• 11 January – Sir Edmund Hillary, mountaineer, explorer and philanthropist (born 1919)
• 16 January – Hone Tuwhare, poet (born 1922)

• 12 February – Ron Chippindale, pilot, air accident investigator (born 1933)
• 14 February – June Schoch, athlete (born 1926)
• 16 February – K. Radway Allen, fisheries biologist (born 1911)
• 19 February – Barry Barclay, filmmaker (born 1944)
• 28 February – Peter Bannister, botanist (born 1939)

• 13 March – Tessa Birnie, concert pianist (born 1934)
• 18 March – Ruth Dallas, poet and children's author (born 1919)
• 21 March – Merv Wallace, cricketer (born 1916)

• 2 April – Sir Geoffrey Cox, newspaper and television journalist (born 1910)
• 6 April – Tony Davies, rugby union player (born 1939)
• 10 April – Greg Hough, association football player (born 1958)
• 11 April – Fraser Colman, politician (born 1925)
• 12 April – Dame Augusta Wallace, jurist, first woman District Court judge (born 1929)
• 15 April – Mahinārangi Tocker singer–songwriter (born 1955)

• 4 May – Colin Murdoch, pharmacist, veterinarian and inventor (born 1929)
• 8 May – William L. Holland, Pacific affairs academic (born 1907)
• 20 May – Mihi Edwards, writer, social worker, teacher (born 1918)

• 1 June – Doug Zohrab, diplomat (born 1917)
• 4 June – John Armitt, wrestler (born 1925)
• 5 June
• Colin Kay, athlete and politician, mayor of Auckland (1980–83) (born 1926)
• Bruce Purchase, actor (born 1938)
• 24 June
• Neill Austin, politician (born 1924)
• Charlie Dempsey, association football administrator (born 1921)
• 27 June – Lyn Davis, rugby union player (born 1943)
• 30 June – Just An Excuse, Standardbred racehorse (foaled 1998)

• 16 July – Bob Walton, police officer (born 1921)
• 17 July – Sir Graham Speight, jurist (born 1921)
• 25 July – Walter Metcalf, physical chemistry academic (born 1918)
• 31 July – Falani Aukuso, Tokelauan public servant

• 6 August – Ken Going, rugby union player (born 1942)
• 9 August – Bob Cunis, cricket player and coach (born 1941)
• 16 August – Rei Hamon, artist (born 1919)
• 25 August – Hardwicke Knight, historian and photographer (born 1911)
• 31 August – Victor Yates, rugby union and league player (born 1939)

• 7 September – Sir Hamish Hay, politician, mayor of Christchurch (1974–89) (born 1927)
• 8 September – Ron Guthrey, soldier, politician, mayor of Christchurch (1968–71) (born 1916)
• 11 September – Sue Garden-Bachop, rugby union player, coach and administrator (born {{circa}}1961)
• 13 September – Duncan Laing, swimming coach (born 1933)
• 15 September
• Peter Hanan, swimmer (born 1915)
• Arthur Stubbs, soldier, oldest New Zealand war veteran (born 1904)
• 21 September – Al Hobman, professional wrestler (born 1925)
• 25 September
• Wynne Bradburn, cricketer (born 1938)
• Brian Donnelly, politician and diplomat (born 1949)

• 2 October – Rob Guest, actor and singer (born 1950)
• 14 October – Dame Daphne Purves, educator (born 1908)
• 15 October – Des Townson, yacht designer (born 1934)
• 26 October – Neil Purvis, rugby union player (born 1953)
• 29 October – John Darwin, statistician and public servant (born 1923)

• 6 November – Kevin J. Sharpe, mathematician, theologian and archaeologist (born 1950)
• 7 November – Hedley Howarth, cricketer (born 1943)
• 8 November – Hugh Cook, science fiction writer (born 1956)
• 27 November – Mike Minogue, politician (born 1923)
• 29 November – Robert Wade, chess player (born 1921)

• 6 December – Peter Wardle, plant ecologist (born 1931)
• 13 December – John Drake, rugby union player (born 1959)
• 16 December – Peg Batty, cricketer (born 1920)
• 24 December – Ian Ballinger, sports shooter (born 1925)

{{Div col end}}

• List of years in New Zealand
• Timeline of New Zealand history
• History of New Zealand
• Military history of New Zealand
• Timeline of the New Zealand environment
• Timeline of New Zealand's links with Antarctica

For world events and topics in 2008 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 2008

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category-inline}}

{{Years in New Zealand}}

{{Oceania topic|2008 in|countries_only=yes}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2008 in New Zealand}}

New Zealand

New Zealand

Category:Years of the 21st century in New Zealand

Category:2000s in New Zealand