The following lists events that happened during 1973 in New Zealand.
Population
Estimated population as of 31 December 1973: 3,024,900. Increase since 31 December 1972 – 65,200 (2.20%). Males per 100 females – 99.7. It took 21 years for the population to grow from 2 million to 3 million.
Incumbents
Regal and viceregal
Head of State – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Denis Blundell
Government
The 37th New Zealand Parliament commences. Government is by a Labour majority of 55 seats to the National Party's 32 seats.
Speaker of the House – Stan Whitehead
Prime Minister – Norman Kirk
Deputy Prime Minister – Hugh Watt
Minister of Finance – Bill Rowling
Minister of Foreign Affairs – Norman Kirk
Attorney-General – Martyn Finlay
Parliamentary opposition
Leader of the Opposition – Jack Marshall (National)
Judiciary
Chief Justice — Richard Wild
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – Dove-Myer Robinson
Mayor of Hamilton – Mike Minogue
Mayor of Wellington – Frank Kitts
Mayor of Christchurch – Neville Pickering
Mayor of Dunedin – Jim Barnes
Events
1 January – The 1973 New Year Honours are announced
11 January – Air New Zealand accepts delivery of its first McDonnell Douglas DC-10 jet. 4 February – The details of the Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement are announced 7 February – A heat wave affects large parts of New Zealand. Rangiora reaches , the highest temperature recorded in New Zealand. 11 February – The Rolling Stones play a single New Zealand concert, at Western Springs Stadium, Auckland, on their 1973 Pacific Tour. 27 February – Leaking drums of organophosphate cotton defoliant spread fumes across Parnell, Auckland, causing 640 people to be treated in hospital and 6,000 people to be evacuated. 1 March – The Trans-Tasman Travel Arrangement is implemented 10 April – Prime Minister Kirk cancels the 1973 South African rugby tour to New Zealand over fears of civil unrest. 16 April – After a retrial, Arthur Allan Thomas is again found guilty of the murders of Harvey and Jeannette Crewe. 2 June – The 1973 Queen's Birthday Honours are announced 19 October – The New Zealand Day Act 1973, making 6 February a national holiday, receives royal assent. 31 October – Colour television is introduced.
Arts and literature
Graham Billing wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
See 1973 in art, 1973 in literature
Music
New Zealand Music Awards
ALBUM OF THE YEAR John Donoghue – Spirit Of Pelorus Jack
RECORDING ARTIST / GROUP OF THE YEAR Shona Laing
BEST SINGLE / SINGLE OF THE YEAR John Hanlon – Damn The Dam
BEST NEW ARTIST Shona Laing
BEST NZ RECORDED COMPOSITION Anna Leah – Love Bug
PRODUCER OF THE YEAR Keith Southern – Join Together
ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Peter Hitchcock – Only Time Could Let Us Know
ARRANGER OF THE YEAR Mike Harvey – Damn The Dam
See: 1973 in music
Performing arts
Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Ray Columbus.
Radio and television
Colour television broadcasts begin at 7:45pm on 31 October. The licence fee for a colour television is NZ$35. In December, Fred Dagg makes his first appearance. Feltex Television Awards: Natural History Programme: Bird of a Single Flight Best News, Current Affairs: Election Night '72 Best Light Entertainment: Loxene Golden Disc 1972 Best Drama and the Arts: Gone Up North and An Awful Silence Best Documentary: Deciding Allied Crafts: Loxene Golden Disc set and work on Pop Co. The first ZM radio stations were started in 1973 as 1ZM Auckland, 2ZM Wellington and 3ZM Christchurch.
See: 1973 in New Zealand television, 1973 in television, List of TVNZ television programming, :Category:Television in New Zealand, :Category:New Zealand television shows, Public broadcasting in New Zealand
Film
Rangi's Catch
See: :Category:1973 film awards, 1973 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1973 films
Sport
Athletics
Terry Manners wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:18:28.7 on 10 March in Inglewood. In the same year, on 1 December, the title is taken over by John Robinson who wins his first national title, clocking 2:15:03.6 in Christchurch.
Chess
The 80th National Chess Championship is held in Wellington, and is won by Ortvin Sarapu of Auckland (his 12th title).
Horse racing
From January 1973, all races are run at metric distances rather than imperial.