The following lists events that happened during 1989 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 3,369,800 Increase since 31 December 1988: 24,600 (0.74%) Males per 100 Females: 97.1 Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – The Rt Revd. Sir Paul Reeves GCMG GCVO QSO Government The 42nd New Zealand Parliament continued. The fourth Labour Party government was in power. Speaker of the House – Kerry Burke Prime Minister – David Lange then Geoffrey Palmer Deputy Prime Minister – Geoffrey Palmer then Helen Clark Minister of Finance – Roger Douglas then David Caygill Minister of Foreign Affairs – Russell Marshall Chief Justice – Sir Ronald Davison (until 4 February), Sir Thomas Eichelbaum (starting 4 February) Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – Jim Bolger (National). Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Catherine Tizard Mayor of Hamilton – Ross Jansen then Margaret Evans Mayor of Wellington – Jim Belich Mayor of Christchurch – Hamish Hay then Vicki Buck Mayor of Dunedin – Cliff Skeggs then Richard Walls Events First annual balance of payments surplus since 1973. The Reserve Bank Act sets the role of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand as maintaining price stability. The Tomorrow's Schools reforms shift substantial financial and administrative responsibilities for managing schools to elected boards of trustees. Local Government elections under a revised structure. The Māori Fisheries Act passed. The Sale of Liquor Act passed; it provided for supermarkets to sell wine (but not beer; this happened in 1999). Two amendments were also passed in 1989. April: Swedish tourists Urban Höglin and Heidi Paakkonen disappear while backpacking in the Coromandel, leading to the largest land-based search undertaken in New Zealand. 25 April: David Lange suggests New Zealand should withdraw from the ANZUS council. 29 April: The Taranaki Herald publishes its last issue. The newspaper had published since 1852, and was New Zealand's oldest newspaper from 1935. 1 May: Jim Anderton forms the NewLabour Party. 7 August: David Lange resigns as Prime Minister of New Zealand and is replaced by Geoffrey Palmer. 26 November: TV3 begins broadcasting. 28 November: The Abolition of the Death Penalty Act received Royal assent. 10 December: Sunday trading begins. Arts and literature Renee wins the Robert Burns Fellowship. See 1989 in art, 1989 in literature, :Category:1989 books Music New Zealand Music Awards Winners are shown first with nominees underneath. Album of the Year: Margaret