The following lists events that happened during 1993 in New Zealand. Population Estimated Population as of 31 December: 3,597,800 Increase since 31 December 1992: 45,600 (1.28%) Males per 100 Females: 97.1 Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – The Hon Dame Catherine Tizard, GCMG, GCVO, DBE, QSO Government The 43rd New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was The National Party, led by Jim Bolger. National controlled nearly seventy percent of the seats in Parliament. In the 1993 New Zealand general election National was returned to power with a reduced majority. Speaker of the House – Robin Gray then Peter Tapsell Prime Minister – Jim Bolger Deputy Prime Minister – Don McKinnon Minister of Finance – Ruth Richardson then Bill Birch Minister of Foreign Affairs – Don McKinnon Chief Justice — Sir Thomas Eichelbaum Parliamentary opposition Leader of the Opposition – Mike Moore (Labour) until 1 December, then Helen Clark (Labour). NewLabour Party – Jim Anderton until Alliance – Jim Anderton. (after 6 November general election)New Zealand First: Winston Peters' (after the general election) Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – Les Mills Mayor of Hamilton – Margaret Evans Mayor of Wellington – Fran Wilde Mayor of Christchurch – Vicki Buck Mayor of Dunedin – Richard Walls Events 17 April – By-election in Tauranga after the National MP Winston Peters resigned from both his party and from Parliament. He recontested the seat as an independent and won it after no major political party stood a candidate. 26 May – Disappearance from Karangahape Road in Auckland of 17-year-old Jayne Furlong. 25 August – A concrete mixer truck fails to stop at a railway level crossing in Rolleston and hits the side of a southbound Southerner passenger train, killing three people on board and seriously injuring seven others. 6 November The 1993 general election is held, with National losing its large majority to retain power by one seat. The 1993 voting method referendum is held, with a 53.9% majority voting to change to the Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting system. 26 November – Auckland mid-air collision of police Eagle helicopter and a traffic spotting Piper Archer over the Auckland CBD, killing all occupants of both aircraft – two police and two civilians; debris falls on motorway. The Tonga Island Marine Reserve is established. Arts and literature Stuart Hoare wins the Robert Burns Fellowship. See 1993 in art, 1993 in