2003 in New Zealand

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 4,061,600
• Increase since 31 December 2002: 72,000
• Males per 100 Females: 96.2

  Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – The Hon Dame Silvia Cartwright PCNZM, DBE, QSO

  Government

• Speaker of the House – Jonathan Hunt
• Prime Minister – Helen Clark
• Deputy Prime Minister – Michael Cullen
• Minister of Finance – Michael Cullen
• Minister of Foreign Affairs – Phil Goff
• Chief Justice — Sian Elias

  Opposition leaders

• National – Bill English then Don Brash
• 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

  Events

• 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.
• 9 June – Announcement by the Prime Minister of the provision of a Defence Force engineering group of up to 60 personnel to work on reconstruction tasks in southern Iraq and, as part of New Zealand's continuing participation in Operation Enduring Freedom, of the intention to contribute to a Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan.
• 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
• 22 August – the 2003 Fiordland earthquake strikes, in a remote part of New Zealand.
• 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.

  Arts and literature

Awards

• 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]

• 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
• * Te Awanui Pine Reeder – For The People
• Best Female Vocalist: Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
• * Anika Moa – Falling in Love Again
• * Kirsten Morrell – Riverhead
• Best Solo Artist : 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
• * Che Fu – Misty Frequencies
• * Chris Graham / Bic Runga – Something Good
• 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 : Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
• Highest Selling NZ Single : Katchafire – Giddy Up
• Producer of the Year: Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
• * P Money – Big Things
• * Geoffrey Maddock – Riverhead
• Engineer of the Year: Clint Murphy And Dave Rhodes – Blindspott
• * Jeremy Greor – Carbon
• * Barbara Griffin – Love Not War
• * Simon Holloway & Shane Mason – 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 : Pacific Soul – Pacific Soul
• * Jamoa Jam – Tama Mai Le Pasifika
• * Lapi Mariner – Just Me
• Best Roots Music Album : 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
• * Spencer Levine – Trade Secrets
• 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 : Dylan Taite

  Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Jim Joll.

  Television

• 3 October: TV4 is replaced by C4.

  Film

• Kombi Nation
• The Last Samurai
• The Whale Rider
• 17 December: World premiere of in Wellington

  Internet

Sport

Athletics

• 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.

  Basketball

• 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

  Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup – Just an Excuse
• Auckland Trotting Cup – Elsu
• New Zealand Free For All – Jack Cade

  Thoroughbred racing

Motor racing

• 12 October – Scott Dixon wins the Indy Racing League Championship

  Netball

• The 11th Netball World Championships were held in Kingston, Jamaica. New Zealand won, beating Australia in the final.

  Rugby union

• 11 October – Auckland defeat Canterbury to win the Ranfurly Shield, ending Canterbury's run of 23 defences.
• 11 October – New Zealand beat Italy in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
• 17 October – New Zealand beat Canada in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
• 24 October – New Zealand beat Tonga in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
• 2 November – New Zealand beat Wales in pool D of the Rugby World Cup, finishing top of pool D
• 8 November – New Zealand beat South Africa in the first quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup
• 15 November – New Zealand lose to Australia in the first semi-final of the Rugby World Cup
• 20 November – Playoff: New Zealand beat France to take 3rd place in the Rugby World Cup

  Rugby league

• Bartercard Cup won by Canterbury Bulls
• The New Zealand Warriors finished 6th 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.

  Shooting

• Ballinger Belt –
• * Ian Shaw
• * Ross Geange, fourth, top New Zealander

  Soccer

• 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.

  Yachting

• 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

  Births

• 23 August – Efficient, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 31 October – Green Birdie, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 24 November – Charlotte Cleverley-Bisman, face of campaign against meningococcal disease

  Deaths

January–March

• 6 January – Hirini Melbourne, composer, singer, writer and academic
• 7 January – Charisma, eventing horse
• 8 January – Mac Price, diplomat
• 16 January – Bruce Juddery, journalist
• 17 January – Phil Hawksworth, badminton player
• 20 January – Cleone Rivett-Carnac, athlete
• 21 January
• * James Clark, cricketer
• * Les Lock, racing cyclist
• 22 January – Dylan Taite, drummer, rock music journalist
• 29 January – Bill Sewell, poet
• 30 January – Ron Buchan, lawn bowler
• 1 February – Bill Meates, rugby union player
• 2 February – Stan Cowman, cricket umpire
• 13 February – Bright Williams, last surviving New Zealand-born veteran of World War I
• 22 February – Sir Frank Callaway, music educator and administrator
• 7 March – Sid Scales, cartoonist
• 19 March – Tori Reid, rugby union player
• 27 March – Edwin Carr, composer

  April–June

• 5 April – Irihapeti Ramsden, nurse, educator
• 7 April – John Rymer, Anglican cleric
• 14 April – John Kent, cartoonist
• 22 April – Ian Marshall, association football player and coach
• 27 April – Albert Richards, athlete
• 29 April – Ron Barclay, politician
• 30 April – Possum Bourne, rally driver
• 5 May – Margaret Dalziel, English literature academic
• 12 May – Stan Lay, athlete
• 24 May
• * Neil Cherry, environmental scientist
• * Kaarene Fitzgerald, advocate for study and treatment of sudden infant death
• 28 May – Phil Holloway, politician
• 29 May
• * Joanna Paul, visual artist, poet, filmmaker
• * Sina Woolcott, artist
• 2 June – Kenneth Maddock, anthropology academic
• 9 June – Jack Henry, silviculturist and businessman
• 12 June – Monty Monteith, clergyman
• 14 June – Joyce Powell, cricketer
• 15 June – David Holt, association footballer
• 20 June – Thomas Freeman, cricketer

  July–September

• 6 July – Peter Howden, cricketer
• 13 July – Lin Colling, rugby union player, coach and administrator
• 20 July – Bill Schaefer, field hockey player
• 21 July – John Davies, athlete
• 24 July – Dame Ella Campbell, botanist
• 30 July – Agnes Ell, cricketer
• 3 August – Joyce Macdonald, swimmer
• 7 August – Mike Hinge, illustrator and graphic designer
• 8 August – Allan McCready, politician
• 9 August
• * Rex Challies, cricketer
• * Corran McLachlan, chemical engineer, entrepreneur
• 12 August – Alan McLean, cricketer
• 22 August – Dorothea Anne Franchi, pianist, harpist, music educator and composer
• 27 August – Mick Connelly, politician
• 2 September – Dame Ann Ballin, clinical psychologist, victims' rights advocate and disabilities campaigner
• 5 September – Sir Richard Harrison, politician
• 7 September
• * David Allan Spence, mathematician
• * Merv Wellington, politician
• 11 September – Frances King, cricketer
• 15 September – Anthony Treadwell, architect
• 19 September
• * Max Brown, writer
• * Adrian Shelford, rugby league player
• 23 September – Dennis McEldowney, writer and editor
• 25 September – Bill Wolfgramm, musician

  October–December

• 3 October
• * Lyall Barry, swimmer
• * Savenaca Siwatibau, Fijian public servant and university administrator
• 18 October – Frank O'Flynn, politician
• 31 October – Lindsay Weir, cricketer
• 12 November – Cameron Duncan, filmmaker
• 15 November – Tom Kneebone, cabaret performer and actor
• 16 November – Theo Allen, athlete
• 23 November – Nick Carter, cyclist
• 24 November – Millie Khan, lawn bowler
• 26 November – Brian Wybourne, physics academic
• 17 December – James Coe, artist, art teacher, industrial designer
• 25 December –– Patrick O'Farrell, history academic