Regal and viceregal
Head of State - Elizabeth II
Governor-General - The Hon Dame Silvia Cartwright PCNZM, DBE, QSO
The 47th New Zealand Parliament continued. Government was a coalition between Labour and the small Progressive party with United Future supporting supply votes.
Speaker of the House - Jonathan Hunt (Labour)
Prime Minister - Helen Clark (Labour)
Deputy Prime Minister - Michael Cullen (Labour)
Minister of Finance - Michael Cullen (Labour)
Minister of Foreign Affairs - Phil Goff (Labour)
National - Bill English then Don Brash (Leader of the Opposition)
Greens - Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald
Act - Richard Prebble
New Zealand First - Winston Peters
United Future - Peter Dunne
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland - John Banks
Mayor of Hamilton - David Braithwaite
Mayor of Wellington - Kerry Prendergast
Mayor of Christchurch - Garry Moore
Mayor of Dunedin - Sukhi Turner
11 February – Donna Awatere Huata is expelled from the caucus of political party ACT New Zealand. She remained in parliament.
1 April - the Government Communications Security Bureau Act 2003 received Royal Assent
24 April – New Zealand's population reaches the 4,000,000 mark, according to Statistics New Zealand's population clock.
30 June – Announcement that the North Island population reaches 3 million, North Shore City reaches 200,000 and Porirua City reaches 50,000
5 July – 350 skiers and 70 staff were trapped in skifield facilities on Mount Ruapehu when a sudden storm closes the access road. All descend safely the next day.
August – The Refugee Status Appeals Authority declares that Ahmed Zaoui is a genuine asylum seeker. He is moved from a maximum security to medium security prison as a result.
15 August – The Strongman Mine closes
28 October – Don Brash becomes parliamentary leader of the National Party.
October – Australian company Toll Holdings completes a takeover bid for Tranz Rail
18 November – the Supreme Court declares that Donna Awatere Huata has no right to her parliamentary seat.
Evangelical Christian based political party Destiny New Zealand formed.
Nick Ascroft and Sarah Quigley win the Robert Burns Fellowship.
New Zealand Book Awards
Readers' Choice: Playing God Glenn Colquhoun
Non-fiction: Wine Atlas of New Zealand Michael Cooper
Fiction: The Shag Incident Stephanie Johnson
Poetry: Playing God Glenn Colquhoun
History: No idle rich: The Wealthy in Canterbury & Otago 1840-1914 Jim McAloon
Lifestyle and contemporary culture: Wine Atlas of New Zealand Michael Cooper
Biography: A sort of conscience: The Wakefields Philip Temple
Illustrative: Len Castle: Potter Nancy Pel and Len Castle
Reference & Anthology: Spirit in a strange land: A Selection of New Zealand spiritual verse edited by Paul Morris, Harry Ricketts and Mike Grimshaw
Environment* Te Araroa: The New Zealand Trail Geoff Chapple
New Zealand Music Awards
A number of new categories were introduced this year: 'Highest Selling NZ Album', 'Highest Selling NZ Single', 'Best Pacific Island Album' (its predecessor 'Best Polynesian Album' last presented in 1997), and 'Best Roots Music Album'. 'Best R&B/ Hip Hop Album' was renamed 'Best Urban Album'. Two categories were retired 'Best Children's Album', and 'Best Compilation'. This year was also the first to feature a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Album of the Year: The Datsuns – The Datsuns
Pacifier - Pacifier
Goldenhorse - Riverhead
Bic Runga - Beautiful Collision
Nesian Mystik - Polysaturated
Single of the Year: Goodshirt - Sophie
Che Fu - Misty Frequencies
Bic Runga - Get Some Sleep
Anika Moa - Falling in Love Again
Nesian Mystik - It's On
Top Group: The Datsuns – The Datsuns
Goodshirt - Sophie
Nesian Mystik - Polysaturated
Breakthrough Artist of the Year: The Datsuns – The Datsuns
Goldenhorse - Riverhead
Blindspott - Blindspott
Best Male Vocalist: Che Fu – Misty Frequencies
Jon Toogood- Pacifier (Pacifier)
Te Awanui Pine Reeder (Nesian Mystik) - For The People
Best Female Vocalist: Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
Anika Moa - Falling in Love Again
Kirsten Morrell - Riverhead (Goldenhorse)
Best Solo Artist (new category): Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
Anika Moa - Falling in Love Again
Carly Binding - Alright With Me
Best Urban Album: Nesian Mystik – Polysaturated
P Money - Big Things
Deceptikonz - Elimination
Best Folk Album: not awarded
Best Music Video: Joe Lonie - Sophie (Goodshirt)
Che Fu - Misty Frequencies
Chris Graham / Bic Runga - Something Good (Bic Runga)
Outstanding International Achievement: The Datsuns
Best Mana Reo Album: Ngahiwi Apanui – E Tau Nei
Hareruia Aperama - Waiata Of Bob Marley Vol 2
Adam Whauwhau - He Hua O Roto
Best Mana Maori Album: Upper Hutt Posse – Te Reo Maori Remixes
Soul Paua - Pohewa
Mahinarangi Tocker - Hei Ha
Brother J - Be Bop A Nui
Highest Selling NZ Album (new category): Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
Highest Selling NZ Single (new category): Katchafire – Giddy Up
Producer of the Year: Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
P Money - Big Things (P Money)
Geoffrey Maddock - Riverhead (Goldenhorse)
Engineer of the Year: Clint Murphy And Dave Rhodes – Blindspott
Jeremy Greor - Carbon (50HZ)
Barbara Griffin - Love Not War (Annie Crummer)
Simon Holloway & Shane Mason - K'Lee (K'Lee)
Best Dance Album: Salmonella Dub – Outside The Dubplates
Rhombus -Bass Player
Subware - Subware
Best Country Album: not awarded
Best Jazz Album: Kevin Clark – Once Upon A Song I Flew
Twinset - It's A Summer Feeling
Matt Penman - The Unquiet
Best Gospel Album: not awarded
Best Pacific Island Album (new category): Pacific Soul – Pacific Soul
Jamoa Jam - Tama Mai Le Pasifika
Lapi Mariner - Just Me
Best Roots Music Album (new category): Trinity Roots – True
Te Vaka - Nukukehe
Darren Watson - King Size
Best Classical Album: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra - Douglas Lilburn: The Three Symphonies
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra -Simon Boccanegra -Giuseppe V
New Zealand String Quartet - Beethoven Rasumovsky Quartet
Songwriter of the Year: Goodshirt - Sophie
Che Fu - Misty Frequencies
Nesian Mystik - It's On
Best Cover Design: Campbell Hooper-Johnson - 'Flock: The Best Of The Mutton Birds
Damian Alexander - Blindspott (Blindspott)
Spencer Levine - Trade Secrets (Dubious Brothers)
New Zealand Radio Programmer of the Year: Andi Dawkins - More FM Christchurch
Andrew Szusterman - Channel Z
John Budge - Classic Hits
Manu Taylor - Mai FM
Lifetime Achievement Award (new category): Dylan Taite
Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Jim Joll.
3 October: TV4 is replaced by C4.
Kombi Nation
The Last Samurai
The Whale Rider
17 December: World premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King in Wellington
See: NZ Internet History
Todd Stevens wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:30:09 on 3 May in Rotorua, while Maree Turner claims her first in the women's championship (2:55:40).
The NBL won by the Wellington Saints who beat the Waikato Titans 97–88 in the final.
The Women's NBL was won by the Wellington Swish who beat the Waikato Lady Titans 86–82 in the final
New Zealand Trotting Cup – Just an Excuse
Auckland Trotting Cup – Elsu
New Zealand Free For All – Jack Cade
12 October – Scott Dixon wins the Indy Racing League Championship
The 11th Netball World Championships were held in Kingston, Jamaica. New Zealand won, beating Australia in the final.
11 October – Auckland defeat Canterbury to win the Ranfurly Shield, ending Canterbury's run of 23 defences.
11 October – New Zealand beat Italy (70–7) in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
17 October – New Zealand beat Canada (68–6) in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
24 October – New Zealand beat Tonga (91–7) in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
2 November – New Zealand beat Wales (53–37) in pool D of the Rugby World Cup, finishing top of pool D
8 November – New Zealand beat South Africa (29–9) in the first quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup
15 November – New Zealand lose to Australia (10–22) in the first semi-final of the Rugby World Cup
20 November – Playoff: (Loser SF1 v Loser SF2) New Zealand beat France (40–13) to take 3rd place in the Rugby World Cup
Bartercard Cup won by Canterbury Bulls
The New Zealand Warriors finished 6th (of 15 teams) in the minor premiership, qualifying for the finals series, where they won two games before losing the preliminary final to minor premieres the Penrith Panthers.
Ballinger Belt –
Ian Shaw (United Kingdom)
Ross Geange (Masterton), fourth, top New Zealander
New Zealand National Soccer League won by Miramar Rangers
The Chatham Cup is won by University - Mount Wellington who beat Melville United 3–1 in the final.
19 January – Swiss yacht Alinghi, skippered by Russell Coutts, beats Oracle BMW Racing 4–1 to win the Louis Vuitton Cup off Auckland and goes on to challenge Team New Zealand for the America's Cup.
2 March – Alinghi, skippered by Russell Coutts, beats Team New Zealand boat New Zealand skippered by Dean Barker 5–0 to win the America's Cup
23 August – Efficient, thoroughbred racehorse
24 November – Charlotte Cleverley-Bisman, face of campaign against meningococcal disease
