2020 in New Zealand
New Zealand-related events during the year of 2020
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The following lists events that happened during 2020 in New Zealand. One overarching event is the COVID-19 pandemic.
Incumbents
Regal and vice-regal
- Head of State – Elizabeth II
- Governor-General – Patsy Reddy
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Elizabeth II -
Patsy Reddy
Government
Legislature term: 52nd New Zealand Parliament and from November 2020, 53rd New Zealand Parliament.
The Sixth Labour Government, elected in 2017 and October 2020, continues.
- Speaker of the House – Trevor Mallard
- Prime Minister – Jacinda Ardern
- Deputy Prime Minister – Winston Peters until 6 November, then Grant Robertson
- Leader of the House – Chris Hipkins
- Minister of Finance – Grant Robertson
- Minister of Foreign Affairs – Winston Peters until 6 November, then Nanaia Mahuta
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Trevor Mallard -
Jacinda Ardern -
Winston Peters -
Grant Robertson -
Chris Hipkins -
Nanaia Mahuta
Other party leaders in parliament
- National – Simon Bridges until 22 May, then Todd Muller until 14 July, and then Judith Collins (Leader of the Opposition)
- New Zealand First – Winston Peters until 17 October
- Green – James Shaw and Marama Davidson
- ACT – David Seymour
- Māori Party – Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer from 17 October
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Simon Bridges -
Todd Muller -
Judith Collins -
Winston Peters -
James Shaw -
Marama Davidson -
David Seymour
Judiciary
- Chief Justice – Helen Winkelmann
- President of the Court of Appeal – Stephen Kós
- Chief High Court judge – Geoffrey Venning, then from 1 June Susan Thomas
- Chief District Court judge – Heemi Taumaunu
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Helen Winkelmann -
Stephen Kós
Main centre leaders
- Mayor of Auckland – Phil Goff
- Mayor of Tauranga – Tenby Powell until 20 November,[1] and then Tina Salisbury (acting mayor)[2]
- Mayor of Hamilton – Paula Southgate
- Mayor of Wellington – Andy Foster
- Mayor of Christchurch – Lianne Dalziel
- Mayor of Dunedin – Aaron Hawkins
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Phil Goff -
Paula Southgate -
Andy Foster -
Lianne Dalziell -
Aaron Hawkins
Events
January
- 28 January – Jacinda Ardern announces the general election date to be 19 September.[3]
- 29 January – The New Zealand Upgrade Programme is announced.[4]
February
- 3 February – A state of emergency is declared in Milford Sound as rain and flooding hit the region.[5]
- 5 February – Residents of Gore, Mataura and Wyndham are ordered to evacuate as the Mataura River bursts its banks.[6]
- 28 February
- COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand's first case of the coronavirus is confirmed. They had recently returned from Iran via Bali.[7]
- Kiwibank stops issuing and accepting cheques as payment, becoming the first New Zealand bank to do so.[8]
March
- 5 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Information of the first human transmission case of the coronavirus within New Zealand is released.[9]
- 14 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern announces new measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. These measures provide that all people (excluding people who have come from Pacific islands where no cases have been confirmed) who arrive in New Zealand must self-isolate for 14 days. Cruise ships are also banned from docking in New Zealand ports.[10]
- 17 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: A $12.1 billion scheme is announced by the government, due to the economic impact of coronavirus on New Zealand, including $5.1 billion for an income subsidy. This is the biggest peacetime government spend in history.[11]
- 19 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association announces that all Anzac Day services, scheduled for 25 April, will be cancelled and the red poppy collection postponed due to the health risk. This is the first time that Anzac Day services have not been held since 1916.[12]
- 21 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Ardern announces the COVID-19 alert level system, with New Zealand initially being placed at alert level 2.[13]
- 23 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand is placed at alert level 3.[14]
- 25 March
- COVID-19 in New Zealand: A State of National Emergency is declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]
- COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand is upgraded to alert level 4 at 11:59 pm, and the country enters lockdown for a period of at least four weeks.[16][17]
- 26 March – The perpetrator of the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings pleads guilty to all 51 murder charges, as well as 40 charges of attempted murder and one charge of engaging in a terrorist act laid under the Terrorism Suppression Act 2002.[18]
- 29 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: The first coronavirus-related death in New Zealand occurs, a woman in her 70s from Greymouth.[19]
April
- 6 April – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Queen Elizabeth II makes a rare broadcast to the nation and the Commonwealth regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, her fifth televised broadcast outside of her Christmas Message.[20]
- 8 April – Dunedin's Baldwin Street reclaims its title as the steepest residential street in the world after Ffordd Pen Llech in Harlech, Wales, took the title in July 2019.[21]
- 25 April
- COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealanders paid tribute at private dawn services[22] as public remembrance services are cancelled, the first time since 1916.[12]
- Central government announces $40 million funding for mental health service, giving 1.5 million New Zealanders free access to the service, once fully operational.[23]
- 27 April – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand enters alert level 3 for a period of at least two weeks at 11:59 pm, partially lifting the lockdown requirements.[24]
May
- 11 May – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Cabinet decides to lower New Zealand's COVID-19 alert level to level two, effective from the 14 May.[25]
- 13 May
- COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand entered COVID-19 alert level two at 11.59pm.[25]
- It is reported that New Zealand Police failed to receive clearance from higher officials in central government, the senior police hierarchy or the Privacy Commissioner to use facial recognition software, after a trial was tested using the American firm Clearview AI's system.[26][27]
- 14 May – The 2020 Budget is unveiled, including a $50 billion recovery package to offset the impending recession.[28]
- 18 May – Statistics NZ announces that New Zealand's population reached five million during March, and estimates the population at 31 March as 5,002,100.[29]
- 22 May – Todd Muller and Nikki Kaye are elected leader and deputy leader of the National Party in a leadership election, replacing Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett.[30]
June
- 1 June – The 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours are announced.[31]
- 8 June – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand moves to alert level 1 at 11:59 pm, removing nearly all social restrictions.[32]
- 19 June – A fatal police shooting in West Auckland leaves a police officer dead and another seriously injured.[33]
July
- 7 July – Hamish Walker, Member of Parliament for Clutha-Southland leaks sensitive information containing private details of COVID-19 patients. On the same day, Michelle Boag, former president of the National Party confesses that she sent the information to Walker. Boag resigns from her position as chief executive of the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.[34]
- 9 July – Rio Tinto announces that Tiwai Point smelter is set to close, leaving 1000 people out of employment.[35]
- 14 July
- Todd Muller announces his immediate resignation as the leader of National Party, citing health reasons.[36]
- Judith Collins and Gerry Brownlee are elected new leader and deputy leader of the National Party.[37]
August
- 11 August – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Four new cases of COVID-19 outside of a quarantine facility are reported.[38]
- 12 August
- 17 August
- Ardern announces that the 2020 New Zealand general election will be delayed until 17 October.[40]
- The dissolution of Parliament is also delayed, to 6 September.[41]
September
- 4 September – COVID-19 in New Zealand: The first death from COVID-19 since 28 May is reported.[42]
- 6 September – The 52nd New Zealand Parliament is dissolved.[43]
- 29 September – Two people are charged over the New Zealand First Foundation investigation.[44]
October
- 4 October – A wildfire at Lake Ōhau causes the evacuation of 90 residents. As of 6 October, the fire had burnt 5,300 hectares, of which 1,900 hectares is conservation land.[45]
- 17 October – The 2020 general election is held alongside referendums on personal cannabis consumption and euthanasia.[40] Labour wins a majority of the seats in Parliament, continuing the Sixth Labour Government.[46]
November
- 9 November – A state of emergency is declared in Napier due to flooding.[47]
December
- 9 December – The University of Otago cancels its end-of-year graduation ceremonies after receiving a security threat.[48]
- 26 December – The Tasman region suffers a heavy hail storm, causing millions of dollars in physical and economic damage.[49]
- 27 December – Manukura, a North Island brown kiwi, born entirely with white feathers, dies after deteriorating health following surgery.[50]
- 29 December
- A large bushfire in Ahipara leads to local residents being evacuated.[51]
- 29 December - 3 January 2021 – Riots between inmates and prison guards at Waikeria Prison, causing major fire damage to the complex.[52]
- 31 December – The 2021 New Year Honours are announced.[53]
Holidays and observances
Public holidays in New Zealand in 2020 are as follows:[54]
- 1 January – New Year's Day
- 2 January – Day after New Year's Day
- 6 February – Waitangi Day
- 10 April – Good Friday
- 12 April – Easter Sunday
- 13 April – Easter Monday
- 25 April – Anzac Day
- 27 April – Anzac Day observed
- 1 June – Queen's Birthday
- 26 October – Labour Day
- 25 December – Christmas Day
- 26 December – Boxing Day
- 28 December – Boxing Day observed
