See also: 2003 in New Zealand , other events of 2004, 2005 in New Zealand and the Timeline of New Zealand history.

Summary

Incumbents

Regal and Vice Regal

• Head of State - Queen Elizabeth II
• Governor-General - Silvia Cartwright

Government

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)

Opposition Leaders

• National - Don Brash (Leader of the Opposition)
• Greens - Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald
• Act - Richard Prebble then Rodney Hide
• New Zealand First - Winston Peters
• United Future - Peter Dunne
• Maori Party - Tariana Turia

Region and main centre leaders

• Mayor of Auckland - John Banks then Dick Hubbard
• Mayor of Hamilton - Margaret Evans then David Braithwaite then Michael Redman
• Mayor of Wellington - Kerry Prendergast
• Mayor of Christchurch - Gary Moore
• Mayor of Dunedin - Sukhi Turner then Peter Chin

Events

• 27 January: National Party leader Don Brash delivers a speech at Orewa highly critical of the government's policy towards Maori.
• 8 April: New Zealand First party announces it would give its support to the govenment'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 Maori Party.
• 19 August: Cereal maker Dick Hubbard announces he is running for the position of Mayor of Auckland.
• 2 August: Around 7,500 Destiny Church members march on Parliament in black shirts to protest liberal social policies.
• 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.
• November 18: 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

Music

Television

• 28 March: Maori Television commences.
• September 22: Animated series bro'Town premieres on TV3.

Film

Sport

• June 12: The All Blacks beat England 36-3 at Carisbrook as part of the 2004 Philips International Series
• June 19: The All Blacks beat England 36-12 at Eden Park as part of the 2004 Philips International Series
• June 26: The All Blacks beat Argentina 41-7 at Waikato Stadium as part of the 2004 Philips International Series
• July 10: The All Blacks beat a Pacific Islanders rugby team 41-26 at North Harbour Stadium as part of the 2004 Philips International Series
• July 17: The All Blacks beat Australia 16-7 at Westpac Stadium as part of the 2004 SANZAR Tri-Nations
• July 24: The All Blacks beat South Africa 23-21 at Jade Stadium as part of the 2004 SANZAR Tri-Nations
• August: New Zealand wins five medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics at Athens.
• August 7: The All Blacks lose 18-23 to Australia at Telstra Stadium as part of the 2004 SANZAR Tri-Nations
• August 14: The All Blacks lose 26-40 to South Africa at Ellis Park Stadium as part of the 2004 SANZAR Tri-Nations
• August 15: Bay of Plenty beat Auckland 33-28 to take the Ranfurly Shield
• September 5: Canterbury beat Bay of Plenty 33-26 to take the Ranfurly Shield
• November 13: The All Blacks beat Italy 59-10 at Stadio Flaminio as part of the 2004 All Black Tour of Europe
• November 20: The All Blacks beat Wales 26-25 at Millennium Stadium as part of the 2004 All Black Tour of Europe
• November 27: The All Blacks beat France 45-6 at Stade de France as part of the 2004 All Black Tour of Europe
• December 4: The All Blacks beat The Barbarians 47-9 at Twickenham as part of the 2004 All Black Tour of Europe

Births

Deaths

• January: Sir Peter Elworthy (farmer, politician, businessman)
• 29 January: Janet Frame (writer)
• March: Frank Mooney (cricketer)
• March: Arthur Kinsella (politician)
• 17 March: Sir William Pickering (space scientist)
• 30 March: Michael King (historian)
• June: Eric Petrie (cricketer)
• 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)
• 5 October: Maurice Wilkins (scientist)
• 10 October: Maurice Shadbolt (writer)
• 11 December: Arthur Lydiard (an outstanding athletics coach who revolutionised the whole sporting world)

See Also

• New Zealand at the 2004 Summer Olympics