1996 in Australia

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1996 Australian incumbents

1 Incumbents
2 Events
3 Arts and literature
4 Film
5 Television
6 Sport
7 Births
8 Deaths

[edit] Incumbents

Queen of Australia - HM Queen Elizabeth II
Governor General - Bill Hayden, then Sir William Deane.
Prime Minister - Paul Keating, then John Howard
Premier of New South Wales - Bob Carr
Premier of South Australia - Dean Brown, then John Olsen
Premier of Queensland - Wayne Goss, then Rob Borbidge.
Premier of Tasmania - Ray Groom, then Tony Rundle
Premier of Western Australia - Richard Court
Premier of Victoria - Jeff Kennett
Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory - Kate Carnell.
Chief Minister of the Northern Territory - Shane Stone

[edit] Events

February 19 - Rob Borbidge becomes Premier of Queensland after winning a by-election from the Labor Party & winning the support of Independent MP Liz Cunningham.
February 24 - The Liberal Party government of Ray Groom is re-elected in Tasmania. Tony Rundle becomes the new Premier on March 18.
March 2 - The Liberal/National coalition scores a comfortable win in the federal election & John Howard becomes Australia's 25th Prime Minister on March 11. ousting the ALP government of Paul Keating that had been in power since 1983.
March 30 - The state election in Victoria re-elects the Liberal/National coalition government of Jeff Kennett for a second term.
April 28 - Port Arthur massacre: Martin Bryant kills 35 people and injures 37 in a shooting spree at the Port Arthur historic site in Tasmania. Bryant is captured the next day after an 18½ hour standoff by Special Operatives Police.
May 10 - The Prime Minister announces new gun control measures, which involve the banning of self-loading rifles, shotguns & pump-action shotguns & tigtening of other gun laws.
May - Floods in southern Queensland & northern New South Wales kill 5 people & causes more than $55 million in farm losses.
June 12 - Two Blackhawk Helicopters collide near Townsville, killing 18 people.
July 1 - The Northern Territory legalises voluntary euthanasia. It would be repealed by a conscience vote in the federal Parliament in 1997.
August 6 - Australian census takes place
November 19 - Martin Bryant is sentenced to 35 consecutive sentences of life imprisonment plus 1035 years without parole for the Port Arthur Massacre.
November 19 - U.S President Bill Clinton makes a visit to Australia in which he addresses both Houses of Parliament.
November 28 - Dean Brown is ousted in a party-room ballot as Premier of South Australia by John Olsen.
December 14 - The Liberal/National coalition government of Richard Court is reelected in Western Australia.

[edit] Arts and literature

Wendy Sharpe wins the Archibald Prize with Self Portrait - as Diana of Erskineville
William Robinson wins the Wynne Prize with Creation Landscape Earth and Sea

[edit] Film

[edit] Television

Australian television celebrates its 40th birthday with celebrations lasting throughout the year. The actual birthday was on September 16.
August - After a court battle, the first series of Friends screens on the Seven Network, almost two years after it premiered in the US. Subsequent series are screened on the Nine Network.

[edit] Sport

February 23 - Super League's challenge to club loyalty contracts signed with the ARL is ruled out of order & orders banning Super League until 2000 are made.
March 10 - The first Australian Grand Prix to be held at the Albert Park grand prix circuit takes place. Damon Hill, of the Williams team wins.
March 17 - Sri Lanka win the Cricket World Cup, defeating Australia in the final.
March 22 - Clubs aligned with the Super League forfeit opening round of matches in the ARL competition.
May 18 - The Fitzroy Lions (16.11.107) defeat the Fremantle Dockers (10.16.76) at the Whitten Oval in what would be Fitzroy's final ever victory as a stand-alone club.
June 8 - About 2/3rds of the way into the 3rd quarter of the match between Essendon & the St Kilda Saints at Waverley Park, the ground lighting fails. The remainder of the game is played the following Tuesday, Essendon won, 13.11.89 to 9.13.67.
July 4 - The AFL teams endorse a merger between the Fitzroy Lions & the Brisbane Bears.
August 17 - Fitzroy & Brisbane play each other for the last time before merging. At Optus Oval, Brisbane win 29.13.187 to 14.16.100.
August 25 - Fitzroy play their last game in Melbourne, against the Richmond Tigers at the MCG Richmond win, 28.19.187 to 5.6.36.
September 1 - Fitzroy play their last ever game of Australian rules football as a stand-alone entity. Against Fremantle at Subiaco Oval, Fremantle win, 24.13.157 to 10.11.71.
September 21 - Tony Lockett kicks a memorable behind to ensure the Swans (10.10.70) defeat the Essendon Bombers (10.9.69) & thus qualify for Sydney's first grand final appearance since 1945.
September 28 - The North Melbourne Kangaroos (19.17.131) defeat the Sydney Swans (13.10.88) to win the 100th VFL/AFL premiership. It is the Kangaroos third premiership.
September 29 - The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles defeat the St. George Dragons 20-8 to win the 89th NSWRL/ARL premiership.
October 4 - The full bench of the Federal Court overturn the earlier decision to ban Super League, meaning the competition can start in 1997.
November 5 - Saintly wins the Melbourne Cup giving Bart Cummings his 10th win as a trainer.