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 confidence and 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 - Don Brash (Leader of the Opposition)
Greens - Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald
Act - Richard Prebble to Rodney Hide
New Zealand First - Winston Peters
United Future - Peter Dunne
Māori Party - Tariana Turia
Main centre leaders
Mayor of Auckland - John Banks to Dick Hubbard
Mayor of Tauranga - Stuart Crosby
Mayor of Hamilton - David Braithwaite to Michael Redman
Mayor of Wellington - Kerry Prendergast
Mayor of Christchurch - Garry Moore
Mayor of Dunedin - Sukhi Turner to Peter Chin
State Services Commissioner - Mark Prebble
27 January: National Party leader Don Brash delivers a speech at Orewa highly critical of the government's policy towards Māori.
8 April: New Zealand First party announces it would give its support to the government's foreshore legislation.
30 April: Tariana Turia announces she will vote against the Government's foreshore and seabed legislation.
5 May: A hikoi against the foreshore and seabed legislation arrives in Wellington.
7 May: The government's foreshore and seabed Bill passes its first vote in Parliament.
11 May: The Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act is passed. The Act allows people who have not reoffended for seven years to not declare minor criminal convictions in most circumstances.
30 June: Statistics New Zealand estimates for this date put the Cities of Lower Hutt and Tauranga at over 100,000 residents for the first time and Waimakariri District at over 40,000
1 July: First sitting of the new Supreme Court.
10 July: Te Tai Hauauru by-election won by Tariana Turia for the new Māori Party.
15 July: 2004 Israel-New Zealand spy scandal: New Zealand imposes diplomatic sanctions against Israel after two Israeli citizens are convicted of passport fraud.
2 August: Around 7,500 Destiny Church members march on Parliament in black shirts to protest liberal social policies.
15 August: Tornado in Waitara. Two fatalities when a farmhouse is destroyed. [1]
19 August: Cereal maker Dick Hubbard announces he is running for the position of Mayor of Auckland.
6 October: Waikato Hospital doctors complete a 22-hour surgery to separate a pair of conjoined twins.
9 October: 2004 local body and health board elections completed, but not all of the counting; and some results need to wait for special votes. All three West Coast mayors unseated, along with several in more populous centres such as Auckland.
1 November: A reciprocal working holiday agreement between New Zealand and Belgium comes into effect.
18 November: Legislation passed vesting ownership of all land up to the high tide mark in New Zealand with the Crown.
29 November: The Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act comes into force.
9 December: The Supreme Court of New Zealand granted Ahmed Zaoui bail. He will reside in the Dominican Friary in Auckland. He will have to report to the Police twice a week and must spent each night in the Friary.
9 December: The Civil Unions Act is passed. The Act establishes the new institution of civil union, available to same-sex and de facto couples.
10 December: Smoking is banned in workplaces or licensed premises.
Katherine Duignan wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.
Deutz Medal for Fiction - Slow Water by Annamarie Jagose
Montana Medal for Non-fiction - The Trial of the Cannibal Dog by Anne Salmond
Readers' Choice - Penguin History of New Zealand by Michael King
Poetry - Sing-song by Anne Kennedy
History - The Trial of the Cannibal Dog by Anne Salmond
Lifestyle and contemporary culture - Classic fly fishing in New Zealand Rivers by David Hallett and John Kent
Biography - Mason by Rachael Barrowman
Illustrative - Central by Arno Gasteiger
Reference & Anthology - Whetu Moana: Contemporary Polynesian Poetry in English
Environment - Deep New Zealand: Blue Water, Black Abyss by Peter Batson
A.W. Reed Award for Contribution to New Zealand Literature - Joy Cowley
New Zealand Music Awards
New categories introduced were 'Best Rock Album', 'People's Choice Award' and 'Airplay Record of the Year'. 'New Zealand Radio Programmer of the Year' was retired.
Album of the Year: Scribe (rapper) - The Crusader
Single of the Year: Scribe – Stand Up
Best Group: Dimmer (band) - You've Got To Hear The Music
Breakthrough Artist of the Year: Brooke Fraser - What To Do With Daylight
Best Male Solo Artist: Scribe – The Crusader
Best Female Solo Artist: Brooke Fraser - What To Do With Daylight
Highest Selling Nz Album: Hayley Westenra - Pure
Highest Selling Nz Single: Ben Lummis - They Can't Take That Away
Songwriter of the Year: Scribe, P-Money, Con Psy & Savage (rapper) - Not Many : The Remix!
Best Music Video: Chris Graham - Stand Up (Scribe)
Best Rock Album (new category): Dimmer - You've Got To Hear The Music
Best Urban/Hip Hop Album: Scribe – The Crusader
Best Dance/Electronica Album: Salmonella Dub - One Drop East
Best Maori Album: Ruia - Hawaiki
Best Pacific Music Album: Te Vaka - Tutuki
Best Jazz Album: The Rodger Fox Big Band - A Rare Connection
Best Classical Album: John Psathas - Psathas : Fragments
Best Gospel / Christian Album: Magnify - In Wonder
International Achievement: Hayley Westenra
People's Choice Award (new category): Scribe
Best Producer: P-Money - The Crusader (Scribe)
Best Engineer: Chris Van De Geer - Passenger – (Carly Binding)
Best Album Cover: Ben Sciascia - Postage (Supergroove)
Airplay Record of the Year (new category): Goldenhorse - Maybe Tomorrow
Best Country Music Album: Donna Dean - Money
Best Country Music Song: Donna Dean – Work It Out
Best Folk Album: Brendyn Montgomery And Mike Considine - Mountain Air
Lifetime Achievement Award: Shaun Joyce
Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Eldred Stebbing MNZM.
28 March: Māori Television commences.
22 September: Animated series bro'Town premieres on TV3.
The Insider's Guide To Happiness
29 February: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King wins all 11 Academy Awards for which it was nominated.
Fracture
In My Father's Den
Kaikohe Demolition
See: NZ Internet History
Dale Warrender wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:23:40 on 1 May in Rotorua, while Nyla Carroll claims her second in the women's championship (2:46:44).
The National Basketball League was won by the Auckland Stars who beat the Nelson Giants 80-68 in the final.
The Women's National Basketball League was won by the Canterbury Wildcats who beat the Nelson Sparks 68-58 in the final.
The State Championship for 2003-04 was won by the Wellington Firebirds.
In December Australia and New Zealand played a series of 3 one-day matches in Australia for the inaugural Chappell–Hadlee Trophy. After winning one game each, the decider was washed out by rain, so the trophy was shared.
New Zealand Trotting Cup: Just an Excuse - 2nd win
Auckland Trotting Cup: Elsu - 2nd win
August: New Zealand wins five medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics at Athens.
Bartercard Cup won by the Mt Albert Lions
June - July: 2004 Philips International Series: The All Blacks beat England 36-3, England 36-12, Argentina 41-7 and Pacific Islanders rugby union team 41-26.
17 July: The All Blacks beat Australia 16-7 at Westpac Stadium as part of the 2004 Tri Nations Series
24 July: The All Blacks beat South Africa 23-21 at Jade Stadium as part of the 2004 Tri Nations Series
7 August: The All Blacks lose 18-23 to Australia at Telstra Stadium as part of the 2004 Tri Nations Series
14 August: The All Blacks lose 26-40 to South Africa at Ellis Park Stadium as part of the 2004 Tri Nations Series
15 August: Bay of Plenty beat Auckland 33-28 to take the Ranfurly Shield
5 September: Canterbury beat Bay of Plenty 33-26 to take the Ranfurly Shield
13 November: The All Blacks beat Italy 59-10 at Stadio Flaminio as part of the 2004 All Black Tour of Europe
20 November: The All Blacks beat Wales 26-25 at Millennium Stadium as part of the 2004 All Black Tour of Europe
27 November: The All Blacks beat France 45-6 at Stade de France as part of the 2004 All Black Tour of Europe
4 December: The All Blacks beat The Barbarians 47-9 at Twickenham as part of the 2004 All Black Tour of Europe
Ballinger Belt –
Edd Newman (United States)
John Whiteman (Upper Hutt), second, top New Zealander
The Chatham Cup is won by Miramar Rangers who beat Waitakere City F.C. 1—0 in the final after extra time.
8 October – C'est La Guerre, thoroughbred racehorse
3 November - Auckland Reactor, standardbred racehorse
