← 2003 2002 2001 2004 in New Zealand → 2005 2006 2007
Decades:	1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	History of New Zealand List of years in New Zealand Timeline of New Zealand history

The following lists events that happened during 2004 in New Zealand.

Population

• Estimated population as of 31 December: 4,114,300.^[1]
• Increase since 31 December 2003: 52,800 (1.30%).^[1]
• Males per 100 Females: 96.1.^[1]

Incumbents

Regal and viceregal

• Head of State – Elizabeth II
• Governor-General – Dame Silvia Cartwright^[2]

Government

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)

Opposition leaders

• 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

Judiciary

• Chief Justice — Sian Elias

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

Other

• State Services Commissioner – Mark Prebble

Events

January

• 27 January: National Party leader Don Brash delivers a speech at Orewa highly critical of the government's policy towards Māori.

February

March

April

• 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.

May

• 5 May: A hīkoi 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.

June

• 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

July

• 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 passport scandal: New Zealand imposes diplomatic sanctions against Israel after two Israeli citizens are convicted of passport fraud.

August

• 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.

September

October

• 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.
• 11 October: Disappearance under controversial circumstances of Iraena Asher at Piha, a West Auckland beach.

November

• 1 November: A reciprocal working holiday agreement between New Zealand and Belgium comes into effect.^[3]
• 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.

December

• 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 spend 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.
• 26 December: 5 New Zealanders are among the victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.

Undated

• National Communications Corporation Limited is founded.

Arts and literature

Awards

• Katherine Duignan wins the Robert Burns Fellowship.

Montana Book Awards 2004

• 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^[4]
• Environment – Deep New Zealand: Blue Water, Black Abyss by Peter Batson
• A.W. Reed Award for Contribution to New Zealand Literature – Joy Cowley

Music

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.^[5]

• Album of the Year: Scribe (rapper) – The Crusader
• Single of the Year: Scribe – Stand Up
• Best Group: Dimmer – 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

Performing arts

• Benny Award presented by the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand to Eldred Stebbing MNZM.

Television

• 28 March: Māori Television commences.
• 22 September: Animated series bro'Town premieres on TV3.
• The Insider's Guide To Happiness

Film

• 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

Internet

See: NZ Internet History

Sport

Athletics

• 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).

Basketball

• 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.

Cricket

• 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.

Horse racing

Harness racing

• New Zealand Trotting Cup: Just An Excuse – 2nd win^[6]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Elsu – 2nd win^[7]

Olympic Games

• New Zealand sends a team of 148 competitors in 18 sports.

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
3	2	0	5

Paralympics

• New Zealand sends a team of 35 competitors across nine sports.

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
6	1	3	10

Rugby league

• Bartercard Cup won by the Mt Albert Lions

Rugby union

• 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

Shooting

• Ballinger Belt –
  • Edd Newman (United States)
  • John Whiteman (Upper Hutt), second, top New Zealander^[8]

Soccer

• The Chatham Cup is won by Miramar Rangers who beat Waitakere City F.C. 1–0 in the final after extra time.^[9]

Births

• 1 January – Sylvia Brunt, rugby union player
• 8 April – Fran Jonas, cricketer
• 8 May – Izzy Gaze, cricketer
• 10 May – Jenna Hastings, mountain biker
• 12 July – Laura Littlejohn, swimmer
• 14 August – Jay Herdman, association footballer
• 8 October – C'est La Guerre, Thoroughbred racehorse
• 3 November – Auckland Reactor, Standardbred racehorse
• 1 December – Joshua Willmer, swimmer
• Undated – Allen Chi Zhou Fan, chess player

Deaths