2014 in New Zealand

National

Estimated populations as at 30 June:^[1]

• New Zealand total – 4,509,900
• North Island – 3,450,800
• South Island – 1,058,500

Main urban areas

Following the 2013 census, Statistics New Zealand added Blenheim to the list of main urban areas, increasing the total number to 17.^[2]

Estimated populations as at 30 June:^[1]

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Jerry Mateparae^[3]

• 
  Elizabeth II
• 
  Jerry Mateparae

Legislative term: 50th New Zealand Parliament until 14 August, then 51st New Zealand Parliament from 20 October.

The Fifth National Government, first elected in 2008, continues.

• Speaker of the House – David Carter
• Prime Minister – John Key
• Deputy Prime Minister – Bill English
• Leader of the House – Gerry Brownlee
• Minister of Finance – Bill English
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Murray McCully

• 
  David Carter
• 
  John Key
• 
  Bill English
• 
  Gerry Brownlee
• 
  Murray McCully

• Labour – David Cunliffe until 27 September, then Andrew Little from 18 November
• Green – Russel Norman and Metiria Turei
• New Zealand First – Winston Peters
• Māori Party – Tariana Turia until 20 September then Marama Fox from 3 November, and Te Ururoa Flavell
• United Future – Peter Dunne
• Mana Party – Hone Harawira until 20 September
• ACT – David Seymour from 3 October

• 
  David Cunliffe
• 
  Andrew Little
• 
  Russel Norman
• 
  Metiria Turei
• 
  Winston Peters
• 
  Marama Fox
• 
  Te Ururoa Flavell
• 
  David Seymour
• 
  Peter Dunne
• 
  Hone Harawira

• Chief Justice – Sian Elias
• President of the Court of Appeal – Mark O'Regan until 1 September, and then Ellen France
• Chief High Court judge – Helen Winkelmann
• Chief District Court judge – Jan-Marie Doogue

• 
  Sian Elias
• 
  Mark O'Regan
• 
  Ellen France
• 
  Helen Winkelmann

• Mayor of Auckland – Len Brown
• Mayor of Tauranga – Stuart Crosby
• Mayor of Hamilton – Julie Hardaker
• Mayor of Wellington – Celia Wade-Brown
• Mayor of Christchurch – Lianne Dalziel
• Mayor of Dunedin – Dave Cull

• 
  Len Brown
• 
  Stuart Crosby
• 
  Julie Hardaker
• 
  Celia Wade-Brown
• 
  Lianne Dalziell
• 
  Dave Cull

Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Tina Cross.

• 20 January – A 6.2 magnitude earthquake occurs near Eketāhuna in the Manawatu-Wanganui region, causing moderate damage in Masterton and Palmerston North.

• 8 March – Waitawa Regional Park opens.^[4]
• March – Over 100 homes are flooded in Christchurch.^[5]

• 7–16 April – Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince George of Cambridge visit New Zealand on an official tour. It is Catherine and George's first visit to New Zealand.^[6]

• 23 June – The 2014 New Zealand bravery awards are announced to honour acts of bravery after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

• 11–21 July – Severe flooding damages thousands of properties in the Northland and Auckland regions.

• 13 August – Nicky Hager's book Dirty Politics: How attack politics is poisoning New Zealand’s political environment is published.
• 28 August – Spark New Zealand launches its Lightbox streaming service.^[7]

• 1 September – A gunman shoots dead two people and injures a third at the Work and Income office in Ashburton. The town is locked down for seven hours while police search for and apprehend the suspected gunman.^[8]
• 20 September – The 2014 general election is held.

• 16 October – New Zealand is elected to the United Nations Security Council for two years (2015–16) on the first ballot.^[9]
• October – Demand for Lewis Road Creamery chocolate milk is so high that it is often sold out in supermarkets within hours of opening. The demand saw the placement of security guards to monitor fridges, the implementation of rationing and purchase limits, and the creation of black markets.^[10]

• 17 November – A magnitude 6.5 earthquake strikes 150km east of Te Araroa, Gisborne.^[11]

• 18 November – Andrew Little replaces David Cunliffe as leader of the Labour Party in the 2014 leadership election.

Public holidays in New Zealand in 2014 are as follows:^[12]

• 1 January – New Year's Day
• 2 January – Day after New Year's Day
• 6 February – Waitangi Day
• 18 April – Good Friday
• 21 April – Easter Monday
• 25 April – Anzac Day
• 2 June – Queen's Birthday
• 27 October – Labour Day
• 25 December – Christmas Day
• 26 December – Boxing Day

Provincial anniversary days in New Zealand in 2014 are as follows:^[12]

• 20 January – Wellington
• 27 January – Auckland
• 3 February – Nelson
• 10 March – Taranaki
• 24 March – Otago
• 22 April – Southland
• 22 September – South Canterbury
• 24 October – Hawke’s Bay
• 3 November – Marlborough
• 14 November – Canterbury
• 1 December – Westland and Chatham Islands

• New Zealand's men's basketball team finished 15th at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
14	14	17	45

• New Zealand sends a team of 15 competitors in five sports.

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
0	0	0	0

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

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
0	1	0	1

• New Zealand Secondary School Championships (Maadi Cup)^[13]
  • Maadi Cup (boys U18 eight) – Hamilton Boys' High School
  • Levin 75th Jubilee Cup (girls U18 eight) – Waikato Diocesan School
  • Star Trophy (overall points) – Hamilton Boys' High School

• Ranfurly Shield – Hawke's Bay defeat Counties Manukau 27–21 to become the new holders of the shield.

• Ballinger Belt – Diane Collings (Te Puke)^[14]