– Fin Hoeata, rugby union player 30 December – Brad Abbey, rugby league player Deaths January–March 4 January – Jim Robertson, historian (born 1896) 6 January – Beeban McKnight, entertainer, cinema operator, community leader (born 1897) 9 January – Herbert Money, evangelical missionary (born 1899) 17 January – Arnold Anderson, athlete (born 1912) 30 January – Guy Doleman, actor (born 1923) 31 January – Sir Peter Tait, politician (born 1915) 24 February – Graeme Moran, rower (born 1938) 26 February – Don Oliver, weightlifter, fitness entrepreneur (born 1937) 4 March − John Spencer, yacht designer (born 1931) 9 March – Harold Baigent, actor (born 1916) April–June 16 April – Archie Dunningham, librarian (born 1907) 17 April – Robbie Robson, lawn bowls player (born 1918) 21 April – Paraone Reweti, politician (born 1916) 26 April – Terence Vaughan, musician, performing arts administrator (born 1915) 1 May – Bruce McLeod, rugby union player (born 1940) 10 May – Ronald Bush, rugby union player and coach, cricketer (born 1909) 11 May – Rob Hall, mountaineer (born 1961) 16 May – Robert Hurst, nuclear scientist (born 1915) 22 May – John George, politician (born 1901) 26 May – Vince Bevan, rugby union player (born 1921) 30 May – Balmerino, thoroughbred racehorse (foaled 1972) 31 May – Robert Holden, motorcycle racer (born 1958) 1 June – Jack Hemi, rugby union and rugby league player (born 1914) 2 June – Freda Bream, writer (born 1918) 3 June – Ben Couch, rugby union player, politician (born 1925) 5 June – Ian Grey, historian (born 1918) 7 June – Tom Puna, cricketer (born 1929) 9 June – Leo Schultz, politician (born 1914) 16 June – Richard Sylvan, philosopher (born 1935) 17 June – Doug Harris, athlete (born 1919) 18 June – Florence Andrews, fencer (born 1912) 19 June – Eric Fisher, cricketer (born 1924) 20 June – Colin Gillies, rugby union player (born 1912) July–September 3 July – Barry Crump, author (born 1935) 11 July – Bob Whaitiri, community leader (born 1916) 17 July – Nell Rose, nurse (born 1996) 25 July – Andy Keyworth, master mariner (born 1923) 10 August – Les George, rugby union player and administrator (born 1908) 16 August – Lena Manuel, community leader (born 1915) 27 August – Josie Yelas, netball player (born 1924) 10 September – Patrick Rhind, rugby union player (born 1915) 13 September – Dot Simons, sports journalist and writer