The following lists events that happened during 2003 in New Zealand.
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- Estimated population as of 31 December: 4,061,600.[1]
- Increase since 31 December 2002: 72,000 (1.81%).[1]
- Males per 100 Females: 96.2.[1]
- 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.[3]
- 3 June – Air Adventures flight crashes on approach to Christchurch Airport, killing eight on board[4]
- 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.[5]
- 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 – A magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes the remote Fiordland.[6]
- 4 October – A state of emergency is declared in the Wellington Region due to flooding. Paekākāriki suffers damage.[7]
- 28 October – Don Brash becomes parliamentary leader of the National Party.
- October – Australian company Toll Holdings completes a takeover of Tranz Rail[8]
- 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.
Awards
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
A number of new categories were introduced this year: 'Highest Selling NZ Album', 'Highest Selling NZ Single', 'Best Pacific Island Album' (its predecessor 'Best Polynesian Album' last presented in 1997), and 'Best Roots Music Album'. 'Best R&B/ Hip Hop Album' was renamed 'Best Urban Album'.
Two categories were retired 'Best Children's Album', and 'Best Compilation'.
This year was also the first to feature a Lifetime Achievement Award.[9]
- 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 (Pacifier)
- Te Awanui Pine Reeder (Nesian Mystik) – For The People
- Best Female Vocalist: Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
- Anika Moa – Falling in Love Again
- Kirsten Morrell – Riverhead (Goldenhorse)
- Best Solo Artist (new category): 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 (Goodshirt)
- Che Fu – Misty Frequencies
- Chris Graham / Bic Runga – Something Good (Bic Runga)
- 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 (new category): Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
- Highest Selling NZ Single (new category): Katchafire – Giddy Up
- Producer of the Year: Bic Runga – Beautiful Collision
- P Money – Big Things (P Money)
- Geoffrey Maddock – Riverhead (Goldenhorse)
- Engineer of the Year: Clint Murphy And Dave Rhodes – Blindspott
- Jeremy Greor – Carbon (50HZ)
- Barbara Griffin – Love Not War (Annie Crummer)
- Simon Holloway & Shane Mason – K'Lee (K'Lee)
- Best Dance Album: Salmonella Dub – Outside The Dubplates
- Rhombus -Bass Player
- Subware – Subware
- Best Country Album: not awarded
- Best Jazz Album:[10] 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 (new category): Pacific Soul – Pacific Soul
- Jamoa Jam – Tama Mai Le Pasifika
- Lapi Mariner – Just Me
- Best Roots Music Album (new category): 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 (Blindspott)
- Spencer Levine – Trade Secrets (Dubious Brothers)
- 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 (new category): Dylan Taite
Television
- 3 October: TV4 is replaced by C4.
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 (2:55:40).
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
Motor racing
- 12 October – Scott Dixon wins the 2003 Indy Racing League Championship
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 (70–7) in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
- 17 October – New Zealand beat Canada (68–6) in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
- 24 October – New Zealand beat Tonga (91–7) in pool D of the Rugby World Cup
- 2 November – New Zealand beat Wales (53–37) in pool D of the Rugby World Cup, finishing top of pool D
- 8 November – New Zealand beat South Africa (29–9) in the first quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup
- 15 November – New Zealand lose to Australia (10–22) in the first semi-final of the Rugby World Cup
- 20 November – Playoff: (Loser SF1 v Loser SF2) New Zealand beat France (40–13) to take 3rd place in the Rugby World Cup
Shooting
- Ballinger Belt –
- Ian Shaw (United Kingdom)
- Ross Geange (Masterton), fourth, top New Zealander[14]
January–March
- 3 January – Harry Godfrey, rugby union player
- 8 January – Sosefo Fifita, rugby league player
- 9 January – Ali Leiataua, rugby league player
- 27 January – Brianna Edwards, association footballer
- 2 February – Ajay Faleafaga, rugby union player
- 5 February – Santo Taumata, rugby union player
- 18 February – Jeremiah Nanai, rugby league player
- 24 February – Jackson Manuel, association footballer
- 13 March – Patricia Maliepo, rugby union player
- 19 March – Caleb Tangitau, rugby union player
- 23 March – Davvy Moale, rugby league player
- 27 March – Kees Sims, association footballer
- 29 March – Macca Springer, rugby union player
April–June
- 4 April – Siua Wong, rugby league player
- 17 April – Taha Kemara, rugby union player
- 19 April – April Ngatupuna, rugby union and rugby league player
- 22 April – Che Clark, rugby union player
- 23 April – Benjamin Culhane, field hockey player
- 25 April – Deine Mariner, rugby league player
- 3 May – Kaelin Nguyen, association footballer
- 8 May – Kyren Taumoefolau, rugby union player
- 12 May – Kelsey Teneti, rugby union player
- 23 May – Noah Hotham, rugby union player
- 25 May – Deine Mariner, rugby league player
- 30 May – Siale Lauaki, rugby union player
- 8 June – Tahlor Cahill, rugby union player
- 17 June – Tiana Raftstrand-Smith, rugby league player
- 25 June
October–December
- 3 October – Will Stodart, rugby union player
- 14 October
- 16 October – Havana Hopman, rhythmic gymnast
- 21 October – Kate Taylor, association footballer
- 29 October – Matt Dibley-Dias, association footballer
- 31 October – Green Birdie, Thoroughbred racehorse
- 17 November – Callum Hedge, racing driving
- 24 November – Charlotte Cleverley-Bisman, face of campaign against meningococcal disease
- 29 November – Muhammad Abbas, cricketer
- 4 December – Ryan Wood (racing driver), motor racing driver
- 21 December – Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, rugby league player
- 31 December – Erika Fairweather, swimmer
January
- 6 January – Hirini Melbourne, composer, singer, writer and academic (born 1949)
- 7 January – Charisma, eventing horse (foaled 1972)
- 8 January – Mac Price, diplomat (born 1948)
- 16 January – Bruce Juddery, journalist (born 1941)
- 20 January – Cleone Rivett-Carnac, athlete (born 1933)
- 21 January
- 22 January – Dylan Taite, drummer, rock music journalist (born 1937)
- 29 January – Bill Sewell, poet (born 1951)
- 30 January – Ron Buchan, lawn bowler (born 1907)
February
- 1 February – Bill Meates, rugby union player (born 1923)
- 2 February – Stan Cowman, cricket umpire (born 1923)
- 13 February – Bright Williams, last surviving New Zealand-born veteran of World War I (born 1897)
- 22 February – Sir Frank Callaway, music educator and administrator (born 1919)
- 25 February – Marion Robinson, physiologist, nutritionist (born 1923)
July
- 6 July – Peter Howden, cricketer (born 1911)
- 13 July – Lin Colling, rugby union player, coach and administrator (born 1946)
- 20 July – Bill Schaefer, field hockey player (born 1925)
- 20 July – David McNee, New Zealand interior designer and television personality (born 1948/1949)
- 21 July – John Davies, athlete (born 1938)
- 24 July – Dame Ella Campbell, botanist (born 1910)
- 25 July – Joan Talbot, fashion designer and retailer (born 1927)
- 30 July – Agnes Ell, cricketer (born 1917)
December
- 17 December – James Coe, artist, art teacher, industrial designer (born 1917)
- 25 December – Patrick O'Farrell, history academic (born 1933)
Media related to 2003 in New Zealand at Wikimedia Commons