The following lists events that happened during 1986 in Australia.
Incumbents
State and Territory Leaders
Governors and Administrators
Events
January
- 2 January – A state funeral is held for former Governor of Victoria Sir Henry Winneke at St Paul's Cathedral, Melbourne.
- 3 January – Federal Opposition Leader John Howard introduces a four-point plan to reduce interest rates.
- 4 January – A tanker driver is killed instantly when his truck overturns in Aspen, New South Wales, releasing clouds of nitrogen gas.
- 5 January – Actress Lauren Bacall arrives in Sydney to star in the play Sweet Bird of Youth.
February
- 2 February – Nurse Anita Cobby is abducted, robbed, raped and murdered by John Travers, Michael Murdoch, and Leslie, Gary and Michael Murphy at Prospect in Sydney (all five men are sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, June 1987).
- 7 February - Following Lindy Chamberlain's identification of a baby's jacket found near Ayers Rock as being similar to the one worn by her baby Azaria, her case takes a new turn.
- 8 February –
- Elections in Western Australia and Tasmania see the re-election of the ALP in WA, and the Liberal Party in Tasmania.
- Post-mortem results support the claim of the sister of Sally Anne Huckstep that she was murdered.
- Dire Straits makes history in Tasmania by drawing the state's biggest audience ever for an open-air concert.
- 9 February – Lindy Chamberlain is released from prison in Darwin on licence after serving 39 months of a life sentence.
- 11 February –
- 12 February - Ernie Bridge is elected to the West Australian Cabinet, thereby becoming the first Aborigine to become a Cabinet minister.
March
- 3 March – The Australia Act 1986 comes into effect at 1600 AEST, granting Australia legal independence from the United Kingdom by removing the power of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to legislate with effect in Australia and its states and territories.
- 18 March - Prime Minister Bob Hawke commits the Federal Government not to raise home interest lending rates above 13.5%, despite continued pressure from the banks.
- 27 March – The Russell Street bombing takes place at the headquarters of Victoria Police in Melbourne. A police constable, Angela Taylor, is killed.
April
- 2 April - Prime Minister Bob Hawke breaks an election promise by lifting the ceiling on home interest rates, following the banks' promise of an extra $6 million for home loans.
- 11 April - The Arbitration Commission finds that the Builders' Labourers Federation was guilty of serious industrial misconduct and the union is deregistered.
- 14 April - A second trial of Mr. Justice Lionel Murphy begins in Sydney, and lasts for two weeks, with the jury eventually acquitting him.
May
- 14 May - Responding to the release of dismal current account deficit figures, Federal Treasurer Paul Keating makes his infamous off-the-cuff warning about Australia becoming a "banana republic".
July
- 4 July – After ten years in power, Neville Wran resigns as Premier of New South Wales, and is replaced by Barrie Unsworth.
- 7 July – Barlow & Chambers are executed at Malaysia's Pudu Prison for drug trafficking. Prime Minister Hawke condemns the move as "barbaric".
- 16 July – An explosion at Moura No. 4 mine in Moura, Queensland kills 12 people.
- 25 July – An unusual cold dry change sweeps through south-eastern Australia, causing temperatures to plummet and bringing 8 centimetres (3.15 in) of snow to Hobart, isolating the city until midday. Canberra also receives snow during the early afternoon with reports of snow and sleet also occurring in the suburbs of Melbourne and Sydney.
August
- 2 August – The painting The Weeping Woman by Pablo Picasso is stolen from the National Gallery of Victoria. The painting is found undamaged in a locker at Spencer Street station on 19 August.[1]
- 6 August – A low pressure system moving from South Australia and redeveloping off the New South Wales coast dumps a record 327.6 millimetres (12.90 in) of rain in a day on Sydney. Resulting floods kill six people.
- 9 August – Sydney schoolgirl Samantha Knight disappears in Bondi, Sydney.
- 19 August - The Federal Budget is handed down and outlines the Federal Government's aims to slash the deficit by increasing charges and making cuts to the Public Service. New Right thinking prompts the Opposition to foreshadow even more drastic changes.
- 21 August - Labor Caucus votes 74:42 to resume sales of uranium to France.
September
October
- 8 October - Following three years of wage indexation, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) approves a two-tier wage-fixing system.
- 21 October - The Mr. Justice Lionel Murphy saga comes to a close when he dies of cancer.
- 24 October - The last link of the national microwave telephone system is completed at Kununurra in Western Australia.
November
- 1 November – The 1986 Queensland state election is held. Joh Bjelke-Petersen wins his final election as Premier of Queensland with his party, the National Party gaining 38.6% of the vote and an absolute majority of seats in the Queensland Parliament
- 27 November - Federal Treasurer Paul Keating is found liable to a fine of $4,000 for not lodging his tax return for 1985 and his 1986 return being overdue.
December
Arts and literature
Film
- 30 April – Crocodile Dundee is released in Australia. The film will go on to become a worldwide smash hit, becoming the highest grossing Australian until 2015
- Malcolm
- The Fringe Dwellers
Law
- Re Loubie a case involving the Queensland Bail Act and s.117 of the constitution.
Television
Sport
Births
- 20 January – Kevin Parker, singer-songwriter and guitarist
- 22 February
- Josh Helman, actor
- Joel Brunker, boxer
- 28 January – Nathan Outteridge, sailor
- 23 February – Kate Keltie, actress
- 28 February – Tendai Mzungu, footballer
- 1 March – Kathryn Beck, actress
- 8 March – Michelle Steele, athlete
- 15 March – Jai Courtney, actor
- 19 March – Daniel Dillon, basketball player
- 20 March
- Ruby Rose, actress, model, and television presenter
- Dean Geyer, actor, singer and Australian Idol (season 4) contestant
- 16 April – Bronwen Knox, water polo player
- 7 May – Mark Furze, actor and singer
- 28 May – Berrick Barnes, rugby union player
- 18 July – James Sorensen, actor
- 24 July – Remy Hii, actor
- 11 August – Dean Timmins, figure skater
- 2 September – Darcy Bonser, actor
- 18 September – Eloise Mignon, actress
- 1 October
- 16 October – Peter George, cricketer
- 30 October – Adam Gibson, basketball player
- 31 October – Christie Hayes, actress
- 2 November – Lara Sacher, actress
- 19 November
- 19 December – Gemma Pranita, actress
- 21 December – Davey Browne, boxer (d. 2015)
- 27 December – Torah Bright, snowboarder
Deaths
See also
- 1986 in Australian television
- List of Australian films of 1986
References
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