2002 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,989,500
• Increase since 31 December 2001: 73,400
• Males per 100 Females: 96.2

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Hon Dame Silvia Cartwright PCNZM DBE QSO

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Jonathan Hunt
• Prime Minister – Helen Clark
• Deputy Prime Minister – Jim Anderton then Michael Cullen
• Minister of Finance – Michael Cullen
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Phil Goff
• Chief Justice — Sian Elias

  Opposition leaders

• National – Don Brash
• Greens – Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald
• Act – Richard Prebble
• New Zealand First – Winston Peters
• United Future – Peter Dunne

  Main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland – John Banks
• Mayor of Hamilton – David Braithwaite
• Mayor of Wellington – Kerry Prendergast
• Mayor of Christchurch – Garry Moore
• Mayor of Dunedin – Sukhi Turner

  Events

• January – Kiwibank is formed.
• 30 June: The population of Canterbury reaches half a million.
• 27 July: 2002 general election; Labour-led government returned for a second term.
• 12 October: Two New Zealand tourists are killed in a series of terrorist bombings in Bali, Indonesia.

  Arts and literature

• Alison Wong wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
• Montana New Zealand Book Awards:
• *Montana Medal: Lynley Hood, A City Possessed: The Christchurch Civic Creche Case
• *Deutz Medal: Craig Marriner, Stonedogs
• *Reader's Choice: Lynley Hood, A City Possessed: The Christchurch Civic Creche Case
• *First Book Awards
• **Fiction: Craig Marriner, Stonedogs
• **Poetry: Chris Price, Husk
• **Non-Fiction: Steve Braunias, Fool's Paradise

Music

[New Zealand Music Awards]

• Album of the Year: Che Fu – The Navigator
• *Anika Moa – Thinking Room
• *Neil Finn – One Nil
• *Salmonella Dub – Inside The Dub Plates
• *the feelers – Communicate
• Single of the Year: Che Fu – Fade Away
• *Aaria – Kei A Wai Ra Te Kupu
• *Anika Moa – Youthful
• *Nesian Mystik – Nesian Style
• *Salmonella Dub – Love Your Ways
• Top Group: Salmonella Dub – Inside The Dub Plates
• *the feelers – Communicate
• *Zed -Silencer
• Top New Act: Goodshirt – Good
• *K'Lee – Broken Wings
• *Pluto – Red Light Syndrome
• Top Male Vocalist: Che Fu – Navigator
• *Neil Finn – One Nil
• *Tiki Taane – Inside The Dubplates
• Top Female Vocalist: Anika Moa – Thinking Room
• *Boh Runga – Magic Line
• *Hayley Westenra – Hayley Westenra
• Best Folk Album: Bob Mcneill – Covenant
• *Beverley Young – The Tinkerman's Daughter
• *Jacky Tarr – Defenestration
• *Phil Garland – Swag O'Dreams
• Best R&B/ Hip Hop Album : Che Fu – Navigator
• *Dark Tower – Canterbury Drafts
• Best Music Video: Matthew Metcalfe / Greg Rewai – Fade Away
• *Garry Sullivan – Seed
• *Ed Davis and Paul McLaney -Complicated
• Outstanding International Achievement: Salmonella Dub
• *Nathan Haines
• *Anika Moa
• Best Mana Maori Album: Ruia And Ranea – Waiata of Bob Marley
• *Brannigan Kaa – Taputapu
• *T-Sistaz – Whakamanahia
• Best Mana Reo Album: Rangiatea -Rangiatea Concert Party
• *Ruia and Ranea – Waiata of Bob Marley
• *Te Ati Kimihia – Te Ati Kimihia and The Children of Tane
• Best Country Album: The Topp Twins – Grass Highway
• *Beau Redding – Dime Box
• *Dennis Marsh – Faded Love
• Best Cast Recording/Compilation: Greg Johnson – The Best Yet
• *Th' Dudes – Where Are Th' Girls
• *Various – Live at Helen's
• Best Producer: Tom Bailey & Stellar* – Magic Line
• *Malcolm Welsford – Scorpio Writing
• *Paddy Free & Salmonella Dub – Inside The Dub Plates
• Best Engineer: Dave Wernham, Tiki Taane And Paddy Free – 'Inside The Dub Plates'
• *Luke Tomes – Magic Line
• *Simon Holloway – Broken Wings
• Best Electronica Album : Sola Rosa – Solarized
• *Rhian Sheehan – Paradigm Shift
• *Shapeshifter – Real Time
• Best Jazz Album: C L Bob – Stereoscope
• *Nathan Haines – Sound Travels
• *The Rodger Fox Big Band – Warriors
• Best Gospel Album: The Lads – Marvel
• *Felt – Colour of the Sky
• *Parachute Band – Amazing
• Best Children's Album: Fatcat & Fishface – Dog Breath
• *Kids Music Company Singers – On A High Note II
• *Michelle Scullion – Peaks To Plains
• Best Classical Album: Jack Body – Pulse
• *New Zealand Symphony Orchestra – Landscapes
• *Gareth Farr – Warriors From Pluto
• Best Songwriter: Anika Moa – Youthful
• *Che Fu – Fade Away
• *James Reid and Donald Reid – Communicate
• Best Cover Design: Kelvin Soh – Good
• *Che Fu and Kelvin Soh – Navigator
• *Shayne Carter and Andrew B White – I Believe You Are A Star
• New Zealand Radio Programmer Award: Brad King – The Rock Network
• *Dallas Gurney – ZM Network
• *David Ridler – Channel Z
• *Marty Lindsay – Star FM Wanganui

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Tom Sharplin.

  Dance

• 7–24 January: runs in Wellington under direction of Deirdre Tarrant and guest choreographer Justin Rutzou with New Zealand choreographers Kristian Larsen and Jacob Sullivan and 22 dancers from throughout New Zealand.
• 30 January – 3 February, Jan Bolwell premieres her theatre work Standing On My Hands at BATS Theatre, Wellington, subsequently touring it throughout New Zealand over the course of the year.
• 20–21 February, premieres , a programme of short works by choreographers Michael Parmenter, Merenia Gray, Raewyn Hill, subsequently touring this programme throughout New Zealand. The dancers are: Annabel Reader, Tane Duncan, Melissa Tate, Georgina White, Tim Fletcher and Paora Taurima.
• 15–17 March, , premieres at the NZ International Festival of the Arts who commissioned the work. Subsequently, the work tours to Dunedin, Christchurch, Auckland to considerable acclaim.
• 19 April to 5 May, the inaugural Auckland Dance Festival runs throughout the month at a number of Auckland venues, presenting professional and community performances, classes, workshops, and public participatory events. Events include: Shake a Leg Youth Dance performances at ASB Theatre; Platform 2002 choreographic development project at UNITEC; Dancing City to City, , Polished Up at St Kevins Arcade, Prayers in the Forest of Mirrors by Edna Katz-Levy at the Maidment Studio, Scratch 'n Sniff Dance Shorts, a mixed bill of dance films, short works and improvisational performances curated by Wilhimeena Gordon at Woonton's Lane in Titirangi, Sub-urban Legends by at UNITEC Studios, Living Room at UNITEC Studios, and Still Life 2002, a triple bill by Sean Curham at the Dorothy Winston Centre.
• 19–22 April, MEDANZ Festival in Christchurch
• On 3 May, Creative New Zealand launches

  Radio and television

• 29 April: Ian Fraser becomes CEO of TVNZ.

Film

• Tongan Ninja

Internet

Sport

• See: 2002 in sports, :Category:2002 in sports

  Athletics

• Mark Bright wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:29:24 on 27 April in Rotorua, while Bernardine Portenski claims her third in the women's championship.

  Basketball

• The NBL was won by the Waikato Titans who beat the Nelson Giants 85–83 in the final
• The Waikato Lady Titans won the Women's NBL, beating the Canterbury Wildcats 88–60 in the final.

  Commonwealth Games

Cricket

• Cricket: Various Tours, New Zealand cricket team, Chappell–Hadlee Trophy

  Golf

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Gracious Knight
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Young Rufus
• New Zealand Free For All – Yulestar

  Thoroughbred racing

Netball

Olympics

• New Zealand sends a team of 10 competitors in five sports.

Paralympic Games

• New Zealand sends a team of two competitors in one sport.

Rugby union

• Rugby: :Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, Super 14, Rugby Union World Cup, National Provincial Championship, :Category:All Blacks, Bledisloe Cup, Tri Nations Series, Ranfurly Shield

  Rugby league

• The New Zealand Warriors had their best season ever in the Australian NRL competition, winning the Minor Premiership and making the Grand Final, which they lost to the Sydney Roosters, 30-8
• The Bartercard Cup was won by the Mt Albert Lions who defeated the Hibiscus Coast Raiders 24–20 in the grand final, the last match ever played at Carlaw Park.
• The New Zealand national rugby league team played in six test matches, winning three and drawing one:
• *12 October – Lost to Australia 24–32;
• *3 November – Defeated Wales 50–22;
• *9 November – Defeated Great Britain 30–16;
• *16 November – Drew with Great Britain 14–all;
• *23 November – Lost to Great Britain 10–16;
• *30 November – Defeated France 22–14.

  Shooting

• Ballinger Belt – Trevor Oliver

  Soccer

• The All Whites won the OFC Nations Cup held in Auckland, beating Australia 1–0 in the final. This qualified the team for the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup in Mexico.
• New Zealand National Soccer League was won by Miramar Rangers
• The Chatham Cup is won by Napier City Rovers who beat Tauranga City United 2–0 in the final.

  Births

• 11 February – Liam Lawson, motor racing driver
• 27 July – Stella Ashcroft, artistic gymnast
• 3 October – Monkey King, Standardbred racehorse
• 16 October – Julian Dennison, actor
• 7 November – Wahid, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 14 November – Seachange, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 2 December – Master O'Reilly, Thoroughbred racehorse

  Deaths

January–March

• 3 January – Jack Skinner, association football player
• 12 February – Ossie Johnson, triple jumper
• 13 February – Mike Gilbert, rugby union and rugby league player
• 15 February – Kevin Smith, actor
• 22 February
• * Sir Raymond Firth, ethnologist
• * Allen Johnston, Anglican bishop
• 23 February – Ossie Butt, rugby league player, selector and administrator
• 6 March – Richard Dell, malacologist
• 9 March – Gordon Hunter, rugby union player, coach and selector
• 12 March – Empire Rose, thoroughbred racehorse
• 14 March – Cherry Grimm, fantasy and science-fiction writer under the pseudonym Cherry Wilder
• 26 March – Roy Calvert, World War II pilot
• 27 March – Geoffrey Sim, politician
• 29 March – John Dick, rugby union player

  April–June

• 2 April – Mona Leydon, swimmer
• 27 April – Lachie Grant, rugby union player
• 29 April – Jack Kelly, rugby union player, schoolteacher
• 2 May – Ross Smith, rugby union player
• 19 May – Herbert Familton, alpine skier
• 28 May – Norman King, politician
• 31 May – Roy Blair, cricketer
• 3 June – Sir Edward Somers, jurist
• 10 June – Dick Brittenden, cricket writer
• 27 June
• * Alan Brunton, poet and playwright
• * Barry Smith, preacher and author

  July–September

• 9 July – Ron Scarlett, paleozoologist
• 23 July – Bill Bell, cricketer
• 3 August – Arthur Cresswell, cricketer
• 24 August – Alan Brash, church leader
• 29 August – Betty Forbes, athlete
• 9 September – Graham Kennedy, rugby league player and coach
• 24 September – Ron Jeffery, World War II spy
• 27 September – Bill Pearson, writer, critic, English literature academic

  October–December

• 1 October – Ernest Bezzant, cricketer
• 3 October – Dalvanius Prime, entertainer
• 11 October – Betty Molesworth Allen, botanist
• 12 October
• * Stanley James, cricketer
• * Mark Parker, cricketer
• 13 October – Sir Garfield Todd, missionary, politician
• 18 October – Buddy Lucas, swimmer and surf lifesaver
• 23 October – David Lewis, sailor, explorer
• 28 October – Hyperno, thoroughbred racehorse
• 15 November – J.J. Stewart, rugby union coach, selector and administrator
• 19 November – Gladys Pidgeon, swimmer
• 20 November – Rod Heeps, rugby union player
• 9 December – Alister Atkinson, rugby league player
• 22 December – Joe Morgan, rugby union player
• 25 December – Davina Whitehouse, actor
• 29 December – Don Clarke, rugby union player