The following lists events that happened during 2021 in New Zealand.
Incumbents
Regal and vice-regal
Head of State – Elizabeth II
Governor-General – Patsy Reddy until 28 September, and then Cindy Kiro from 21 October
Government
Legislature term: 53rd New Zealand Parliament
The Sixth Labour Government, elected in 2020, continues. Speaker of the House – Trevor Mallard Prime Minister – Jacinda Ardern Deputy Prime Minister – Grant Robertson Leader of the House – Chris Hipkins Minister of Finance – Grant Robertson Minister of Foreign Affairs – Nanaia Mahuta
Other party leaders in parliament
National – Judith Collins until 25 November, then Christopher Luxon from 30 November (leader of the Opposition) Green – James Shaw and Marama Davidson ACT – David Seymour Māori Party – Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer
Judiciary
Chief Justice – Helen Winkelmann
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland – Phil Goff
Mayor of Tauranga – Tina Salisbury (acting), then Anne Tolley (as chair of commissioners) from 9 February Mayor of Hamilton – Paula Southgate Mayor of Wellington – Andy Foster Mayor of Christchurch – Lianne Dalziel Mayor of Dunedin – Aaron Hawkins
Events
January
29 December 2020 to 3 January – Riots between inmates and prison guards at Waikeria Prison, causing major fire damage to the complex. 1 January – A bomb threat closes Gisborne Airport, causing evacuations and delayed flights.
February
2 February – Lead is found in water of two Otago towns, Waikouaiti and Karitāne. 9 February – Māori Party co-leader and Member of Parliament Rawiri Waititi is not allowed to speak because he was wearing a traditional pendant rather than a tie. 15 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 3, while the rest of New Zealand moves to Alert Level 2. 17 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 2 from midnight while the rest of New Zealand reverts to Alert Level 1 from midnight. 21 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 at midnight. 27 February – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves back into an Alert Level 3 lockdown for the next seven days while the rest of New Zealand moves back to an Alert Level 2.
March
5 March
A tsunami warning is issued following a 7.1M at 2.27am near East Cape and Gisborne. A 7.4M at 6.40am hits the Kermadec Islands. A tsunami threat and warning is issued for New Zealand after a 8.1M earthquake in the Kermadec Islands. The Beehive Bunker has been activated. Tsunami land threat was dropped at 1.20pm by GNS to a beach and marine threat. The national tsunami advisory was later dropped at 3.43pm. COVID-19 in New Zealand: Jacinda Ardern announces that Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 lockdown from Alert Level 3, with the rest of New Zealand moving down to Alert Level 1, at 6am, on 7 March. The Ardern ministry will review the alert level of Auckland at the start of the weekend following the alert downgrade. 7 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 2, with the rest of New Zealand moving to Alert Level 1. 12 March – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Auckland moves to Alert Level 1 at midday.
April
19 April – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Quarantine-free travel with Australia begins. April – New Zealand's longest running television advertisement of Auckland Glass stops. It first aired in 1996.
May
10 May – Four people are injured during a stabbing attack at a Countdown supermarket in central Dunedin 17 May – COVID-19 in New Zealand: Quarantine-free travel with the Cook Islands begins. 20 May – The 2021 Budget is delivered. 24 May – Dame Cindy Kiro is announced as the next Governor-General. 30 May – A state of emergency is announced in Ashburton, Selwyn and Timaru districts as torrential rain hits the Canterbury region.
June
7 June – The 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours are announced. 19 June – A tornado hit the southern Auckland suburb of Papatoetoe, killing one man and injuring two others. 22 June – COVID-19 in New Zealand: New Zealand pauses the travel bubble with New South Wales as cases of COVID-19 surge in Sydney. 23 June – COVID-19 in New Zealand: The Wellington Region moves to Alert Level 2, following a positive case of the delta variant who flew to Wellington from Sydney. No outbreak occurred.
July
2 July – The government releases the dates of the Matariki public holiday for the next thirty years. 23 July – New Zealand athletes begin competing at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
