2004 in New Zealand
Incumbents
Regal and Vice Regal
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.
Opposition Leaders
Main centre leaders
Other
Events
- 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. [2]
- 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.[2]
- 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.
Arts and literature
New Books
Awards
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
- 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
- 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: 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: 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: 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
Television
Film
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
Cricket
Horse racing
Harness racing
Thoroughbred racing
Olympic Games
Rugby league
Rugby union
Soccer
Births
Deaths
- January: Sir Peter Elworthy, farmer, politician, businessman.
- 25 January: Sonny Schmidt, bodybuilder.
- 29 January: Janet Frame, writer.
- 16 February: Don Cleverley, cricketer.
- March: Frank Mooney, cricketer.
- 4 March: Arthur Kinsella, politician.[6]
- 17 March: Sir William Pickering, space scientist.
- 30 March: Michael King, historian.
- 22 May: Wayne Kimber, politician.[7]
- June: Amelia Batistich, author.
- 26 June: Ronald Sharp, inventor of the herringbone cowshed.
- June: Allan Henderson Smith DFC and Bar, fighter pilot.
- June: Pat Kelly, union leader.
- 26 July: Morton W. Coutts, brewing pioneer.
- 14 August: Eric Petrie, cricketer.
- 11 September: Ruth Symons, cricketer.
- 5 October: Maurice Wilkins, scientist.
- 10 October: Maurice Shadbolt, writer.
- 23 October: George Silk, photojournalist.
- 11 December: Arthur Lydiard, athletics coach.
See also
For world events and topics in 2004 not specifically related to New Zealand see: 2004
References
External links
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:2004_in_New_Zealand 2004 in New Zealand] at Wikimedia Commons