2004 in New Zealand

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

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

• Chief Justice — Sian Elias

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

• 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.

• 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.

• National Communications Corporation Limited is founded.

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

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

• 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[6]
• Auckland Trotting Cup: Elsu – 2nd win[7]

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

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
3	2	0	5

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

Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
6	1	3	10

• 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[8]

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