Kiwi World Firsts
Despite its small size and remote location, New Zealand has a history of liberalisation and leading the world in areas of social change and protection of the natural world.
The first powered flight
The Wright brothers are correctly accredited with making the first documented airborne flight. However, on 31 March 1903 New Zealander Richard Pearse made a powered flight aboard his home-made aircraft 8 months before the Wright brothers entered the record books. But being publicity-shy, Pearce did not invite officals to formally document his efforts and although witnesses stated his craft clearly left the ground on more than one run, there was insufficient formal evidence to recognise his achievement.
Votes for Women
In 1893 New Zealand became the first self-governing country in the world to give women the right to vote. It was to be nearly 25 years later, just after World War I, before the UK and USA followed suit.
First feet on Antarctica
In 1895 New Zealander Alexander von Tunzelman became the first man known to step foot on Antarctica. This started a long and continuing association between New Zealand and the Frozen Continent. Over the years many expeditions have passed through New Zealand on their way south, including those of Scott and Shackleton. The International Antarctic Centre in Christchurch, which continues to act as a base for expeditions of today, is testament to this heritage.
Reaching the top of the world
Probably the most famous act of all time by a New Zealander occured in 1953, when the iconic Edmund Hilary became the first man to climb Mount Everest, along with Sherpa Tensing.
Pension entitlement for all
New Zealand became the first country in the world to provide its citizens with guaranteed pension rights (state pensions). It did this with an historic act of Parliament in 1898, which became the basis for pension entitlements throughout the world.
Labour Day
New Zealand was the first country in the world to introduce the 8 hour working day. Labour Day, which celebrates this event, became a public holiday in 1899
All women at the top
New Zealand is the only country in the world in which all the highest offices in the land have been occupied simultaneously by women:
- Queen Elizabeth II
- Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright
- Prime Minister Helen Clark
- Speaker of the House of Representatives Margaret Wilson
- Chief Justice Dame Sian Elias
...were all in office between March 2005 and August 2006. New Zealand's largest listed company, Telecom New Zealand, had a woman - Theresa Gattung - as its CEO at the time.
1999 First Transgender MP
In a slightly more unusual vein Georgina (originally 'George') Bayer became the world's first transsexual member of parliament after being elected by the people of Wairarapa in the 1999 general election.
Carbon tax and bio-fuel flight
New Zealand has become the first country in the world to introduce a direct carbon tax to address the issues of global warming. Also, the world's first commercial aviation test flight powered by a sustainable biofuel took place on 30th December 2008 in an Air New Zealand Boeing 747.
Carbon-neutral econmy
Having always lead the way in green matters, New Zealand aims to be the first country in the world to operate a carbon-neutral economy, which it projects it will achieve by 2025. Currently 60% of the country's energy is generated by renewable sources.
First World Heritage site in the sky
UNESCO (the organisation that decides which sites in the world are to be protected due to their natural or cultural importance) is being lobbied to declare the night skies above Mackenzie Country in the South Island a World Heritage Site. The area is one of the last remaining places in the world where the vast Southern Sky can be seen in all its glory without any light pollution or jet stream activity. If the lobbying is successful then this will become the first World Heritage Site in the sky.