2003 in New Zealand - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Regal and Vice Regal

Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...

- Queen Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand
Monarchy in New Zealand
The monarchy of New Zealand also referred to as The Crown in Right of New Zealand, Her Majesty in Right of New Zealand, or The Queen in Right of New Zealand is the constitutional system of government in which a hereditary monarch is the sovereign and head of state of the Realm of New Zealand,...
Governor-General
Governor-General of New Zealand
The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....

- The Hon. Dame Silvia Cartwright
Silvia Cartwright
Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright, PCNZM, DBE, QSO, DStJ was the 18th Governor-General of New Zealand.She is a graduate of the University of Otago, where she gained her LL.B degree in 1967, and a former student at Otago Girls' High School.- Public life and family :In 1989, she became the first female...

PCNZM
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...

, DBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

, QSO
Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order was established by Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, awarded by the government of New Zealand "for valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the public sector, whether in elected or...

Government

47th New Zealand Parliament

The 47th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Its composition was determined by the 2002 elections, and it sat until 11 August 2005....

continued. Government was a coalition between
Labour

New Zealand Labour Party

The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

and the small Progressive party

New Zealand Progressive Party

Jim Anderton's Progressive Party , is a New Zealand political party generally somewhat to the left of its ally, the Labour Party....

with
United Future supporting supply votes.

Speaker of the House
Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...

- Jonathan Hunt
Jonathan Hunt (New Zealand)
Jonathan Lucas Hunt, ONZ is a New Zealand politician, and was New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 2005 to March 2008. He formerly served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives. He is a member of the Labour Party, and was until recently the longest-serving MP...

(Labour)
Prime Minister
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...

- Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...

(Labour)
Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power....

- Michael Cullen (Labour)
Minister of Finance
Minister of Finance (New Zealand)
The Minister of Finance is a senior figure within the government of New Zealand. The position is often considered to be the most important Cabinet role after that of the Prime Minister....

- Michael Cullen (Labour)
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Minister of Foreign Affairs (New Zealand)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand.The current Minister of Foreign Affairs is Murray McCully, who was National Party Spokeperson of Foreign Affairs and Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs. There are also Associate Minister roles...

- Phil Goff
Phil Goff
Philip Bruce Goff is the current Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. During the Fifth Labour Government, he served in a number of ministerial portfolios, including Minister of Defence of New Zealand, Minister of Corrections, Minister of Foreign Affairs and...

(Labour)

Opposition Leaders

National
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

- Bill English
Bill English
Simon William "Bill" English is the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Infrastructure of New Zealand.English entered parliament in 1990 as a National party MP representing the Wallace electorate...

then Don Brash
Don Brash
Donald "Don" Thomas Brash , a New Zealand politician, was Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary leader of the National Party from 28 October 2003 to 27 November 2006 and the leader of the ACT Party for 28th April 2011 - 26 November 2011...

(Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (New Zealand)
The Leader of the Opposition in New Zealand is the politician who, at least in theory, commands the support of the non-government bloc of members in the New Zealand Parliament. In the debating chamber the Leader of the Opposition sits directly opposite the Prime Minister...

)
Greens
Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand
The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand is a political party that has seats in the New Zealand parliament. It focuses firstly on environmentalism, arguing that all other aspects of humanity will cease to be of concern if there is no environment to sustain it...

- Jeanette Fitzsimons
Jeanette Fitzsimons
Jeanette Mary Fitzsimons, CNZM is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. She was the co-leader of the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand from 1995 to 2009, and was a Member of Parliament from 1996 to 2010.-Career:...

and Rod Donald
Rod Donald
Rodney David "Rod" Donald , was a New Zealand politician who co-led the Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand, along with Jeanette Fitzsimons.He lived in Christchurch with his partner Nicola Shirlaw, and their three daughters....
Act - Richard Prebble
Richard Prebble
Richard William Prebble CBE, born 7 February 1948, was for many years a member of the New Zealand Parliament. Initially a member of the Labour Party, he joined the newly formed ACT New Zealand party under Roger Douglas in 1996.-Early and personal life:...
New Zealand First
New Zealand First
New Zealand First is a political party in New Zealand that was founded in 1993, following party founder Winston Peters' resignation from the National Party in 1992...

- Winston Peters
Winston Peters
Winston Raymond Peters is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a political party he founded in 1993. Peters has had a turbulent political career since entering Parliament in 1978. He served as Minister of Maori Affairs in the Bolger National Party Government before being...
United Future - Peter Dunne
Peter Dunne
Peter Dunne is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament who leads the United Future political party. He has served as a Cabinet minister in governments dominated by the centre-left Labour Party as well as by the centre-right National Party...

Main centre leaders

Mayor of Auckland
Mayor of Auckland
The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland region in New Zealand...

- John Banks
John Banks (New Zealand)
John Archibald Banks, CNZM QSO is a New Zealand politician. He served as Mayor of Auckland City for two terms, from 2001 to 2004, and from 2007 to 2010...
Mayor of Hamilton
Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand
The Mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand is the head of the municipal government of Hamilton, New Zealand, and presides over the Hamilton City Council.In the 2010 Local Government elections, Julie Hardaker was elected as mayor, defeating incumbent Bob Simcock....

- David Braithwaite
Mayor of Wellington
Mayor of Wellington
The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...

- Kerry Prendergast
Kerry Prendergast
Kerry Leigh Prendergast, CNZM was the 33rd Mayor of Wellington . She was the second woman to serve as Mayor of Wellington, succeeding Mark Blumsky.-Before politics:...
Mayor of Christchurch
Mayor of Christchurch
The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...

- Gary Moore
Mayor of Dunedin
Mayor of Dunedin
The Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the municipal government of Dunedin, New Zealand, and presides over the Dunedin City Council. The Mayor is directly elected, using the Single Transferable Vote system in 2007....

- Sukhi Turner
Sukhi Turner
Dame Sukhinder "Sukhi" Kaur Gill Turner, DNZM was the Mayor of Dunedin, New Zealand, from 1995 until her retirement from the position in 2004. She was notable as the first Green Party mayor in New Zealand...

Events

11 February: Donna Awatere Huata
Donna Awatere Huata
Donna Lynn Awatere Huata is a former member of the New Zealand Parliament for the ACT Party, former activist for Māori causes, and convicted fraudster.-Early life:...

is expelled from tha caucus of political party ACT New Zealand. She remains in parliament.
30 June: Announcement that the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...

population reaches 3 million, North Shore City
North Shore, New Zealand
North Shore City was the name of a city that existed in the Auckland region of New Zealand from 1989 until 2010. The city had a population of making it the fourth most populous city in New Zealand prior to November 2010...

reaches 200,000 and Porirua City
Porirua
Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand, immediately north of the city of Wellington, with their central business districts 20 km apart. A large proportion of the population commutes to Wellington, so it may be considered a satellite city. It almost completely surrounds...

reaches 50,000
5 July: 350 skiers and 70 staff were trapped in skifield facilities on Mount Ruapehu
Mount Ruapehu
Mount Ruapehu, or just Ruapehu, is an active stratovolcano at the southern end of the Taupo Volcanic Zone in New Zealand. It is 23 kilometres northeast of Ohakune and 40 kilometres southwest of the southern shore of Lake Taupo, within Tongariro National Park...

when a sudden storm closes the access road. All descend safely the next day.
August: The Refugee Status Appeals Authority declares that Ahmed Zaoui
Ahmed Zaoui
Ahmed Zaoui is an Algerian member of the Islamic Salvation Front. He arrived in New Zealand on 4 December 2002 where he sought refugee status. Objections from the Security Intelligence Service were withdrawn in September 2007, allowing him to remain in New Zealand.-Pre 1991:Ahmed Zaoui was born as...

is a genuine asylum seeker. He is moved from a maximum security to medium security prison as a result.
15 August: The Strongman Mine
Strongman Mine
The Strongman Mine was an underground coal mine north of Greymouth on the West Coast of New Zealand from 1938 to 2003.On 19 January 1967 a gas explosion in the mine killed 19 miners....

closes
28 October: Don Brash
Don Brash
Donald "Don" Thomas Brash , a New Zealand politician, was Leader of the Opposition, parliamentary leader of the National Party from 28 October 2003 to 27 November 2006 and the leader of the ACT Party for 28th April 2011 - 26 November 2011...

becomes parliamentary leader of the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

.
October: Australian company Toll Holdings
Toll Holdings
TOLL , properly TOLL Holdings Limited, is Australia's largest transport company, based in Melbourne, Victoria. The company has operations in road, rail, sea and air in 55 countries....

completes a takeover bid for Tranz Rail
New Zealand Railways Corporation
KiwiRail Network, formerly ONTRACK , is the infrastructure arm of KiwiRail. The ONTRACK trading name was introduced in 2004 after the government repurchased all of New Zealand's rail infrastructure from Toll NZ. It does not operate revenue rolling stock...
18 November: the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of New Zealand
The Supreme Court of New Zealand is the highest court and the court of last resort in New Zealand, having formally come into existence on 1 January 2004. The court sat for the first time on 1 July 2004. It replaced the right of appeal to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, based in London...

declares that Donna Awatere Huata has no right to her parliamentary seat.
Evangelical Christian based political party Destiny New Zealand
Destiny New Zealand
Destiny New Zealand was a Christian political party in New Zealand centred on the charismatic/pentecostal Destiny Church. The party described itself as "centre-right". It placed a strong focus on socially conservative values and argued that the breakdown of the traditional family was a primary...

formed.

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

Music

New Zealand Music Awards
New Zealand Music Awards
The New Zealand Music Awards show, is a major annual New Zealand music event where musical acts and singers are awarded each year. It has occurred every year since 1965 to outstanding New Zealand musicians and groups....
- Album Of The Year: The Datsuns
  The Datsuns
  The Datsuns are a hard rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand, formed in 2000. To date they have released four albums and several singles, most of which have charted in New Zealand and/or the United Kingdom...
  
  – The Datsuns
- Single Of The Year: Goodshirt
  Goodshirt
  Goodshirt are an innovative Alternative/pop/rock band from Auckland, New Zealand. Its members are Gareth Thomas, brothers Murray and Rodney Fisher and drummer Mike Beehre.-History:...
  
  – Sophie
- Best Group: The Datsuns
  The Datsuns
  The Datsuns are a hard rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand, formed in 2000. To date they have released four albums and several singles, most of which have charted in New Zealand and/or the United Kingdom...
  
  – The Datsuns
- Breakthrough Artist Of The Year: The Datsuns
  The Datsuns
  The Datsuns are a hard rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand, formed in 2000. To date they have released four albums and several singles, most of which have charted in New Zealand and/or the United Kingdom...
  
  – The Datsuns
- Best Male Vocalist: Che Fu
  Che Fu
  Che Fu MNZM is a New Zealand Hip hop/R&B and Reggae recording artist and producer. Originally one part of the band Supergroove, as a solo artist he has gone on to sell thousands of albums both in New Zealand and internationally, including in Australia and the UK.-History:Fu is one of New Zealand's...
  
  – Misty Frequencies
- Best Female Vocalist: Bic Runga
  Bic Runga
  Briolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
  
  – Beautiful Collision
- Best Solo Artist: Bic Runga
  Bic Runga
  Briolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
  
  – Beautiful Collision
- Best Urban Album: Nesian Mystik
  Nesian Mystik
  Nesian Mystik was a New Zealand Hip-Hop/R&B group formed in 1999. Their cultural backgrounds unite a remarkable diversity of Polynesia by bringing together Cook Island, Tongan, Samoan and Maori ancestry...
  
  – Polysaturated
- Best Music Video: Joe Lonie – Sophie (Goodshirt
  Goodshirt
  Goodshirt are an innovative Alternative/pop/rock band from Auckland, New Zealand. Its members are Gareth Thomas, brothers Murray and Rodney Fisher and drummer Mike Beehre.-History:...
  
  )
- Outstanding International Achievement: The Datsuns
  The Datsuns
  The Datsuns are a hard rock band from Cambridge, New Zealand, formed in 2000. To date they have released four albums and several singles, most of which have charted in New Zealand and/or the United Kingdom...
- Best Mana Reo Album: Ngahiwi Apanui – E Tau Nei
- Best Mana Maori Album: Upper Hutt Posse
  Upper Hutt Posse
  Upper Hutt Posse is a musical band in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The progenitors of Hiphop music in the South Pacific originally formed as a four piece reggae group in 1985, the Posse emerged at the forefront of the local response to emerging rap culture...
  
  – Te Reo Maori Remixes
- Highest Selling Nz Album: Bic Runga
  Bic Runga
  Briolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
  
  – Beautiful Collision
- Highest Selling Nz Single: Katchafire
  Katchafire
  Katchafire is a New Zealand roots reggae band from Hamilton, New Zealand.Katchafire formed in 1997 as a Bob Marley tribute band and later began writing and performing their own songs...
  
  – Giddy Up
- Producer Of The Year: Bic Runga
  Bic Runga
  Briolette Kah Bic Runga MNZM is a New Zealand pop recording artist whose first solo album, Drive, debuted at number one on the New Zealand RIANZ charts. She has since become one of the highest-selling New Zealand artists in recent history...
  
  – Beautiful Collision
- Engineer Of The Year: Clint Murphy And Dave Rhodes – Blindspott
  Blindspott
  Blindspott is a nu metal/alternative rock band from Waitakere, New Zealand. They were formed in 1997, originally consisting of Damian Alexander , Marcus Powell , Shelton Woolright , Gareth Fleming and Karl Vilisini, also known as DJ Dlay .-Formation and debut album :Blindspott began in 1997 and...
- Best Dance Album: Salmonella Dub
  Salmonella Dub
  Salmonella Dub are a Dub/Drum n Bass/Reggae/Roots band from Kaikoura, New Zealand. They were formed in 1991 by Andrew Penman, David Deakins and Mark Tyler...
  
  – Outside The Dubplates
- Best Jazz Album: Kevin Clark
  Kevin Clark
  Kevin Clark may refer to:*Kevin Clark , American football player*Kevin Clark , American poet*Kevin Clark , assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Rhode Island...
  
  – Once Upon A Song I Flew
- Best Pacific Island Album: Pacific Soul
  Pacific Soul
  Pacific Soul is a four piece female Polynesian pop band created and produced by Sam Tu'uga of Jamoa Jam.-History:They formed in Auckland, New Zealand in 2001 and have released two albums. The original members consist of Sara-Jane Auva'a, Julie Ta'ale, Sharleen Leaso, and Maopa Lomavita. In 2003,...
  
  – Pacific Soul
- Best Roots Music Album: Trinity Roots – True
- Best Classical Album: New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
  New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
  The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is the national orchestra of New Zealand. It is a crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, with 90 full-time players....
  
  – Douglas Lilburn
  Douglas Lilburn
  Douglas Gordon Lilburn ONZ FRCM was a New Zealand composer.-Early life:Lilburn was born in Wanganui. He attended Waitaki Boys' High School from 1930 to 1933, before moving to Christchurch to study journalism and music at Canterbury University College...
  
  : The Three Symphonies
- Songwriter Of The Year: Goodshirt
  Goodshirt
  Goodshirt are an innovative Alternative/pop/rock band from Auckland, New Zealand. Its members are Gareth Thomas, brothers Murray and Rodney Fisher and drummer Mike Beehre.-History:...
  
  – Sophie
- Best Cover Design: Campbell Hooper-Johnson – 'Flock: The Best Of The Mutton Birds
  The Mutton Birds
  The Mutton Birds was a band from New Zealand formed in 1991 by Don McGlashan, Ross Burge, and David Long.-History:All three members came into the band with experience: McGlashan came from Blam Blam Blam and The Front Lawn, guitarist Long had played in the Six Volts and Burge had played in the...
  
  '
- New Zealand Music Radio Programmer Of The Year: Andi Dawkins – More FM
  More FM
  MORE FM is a New Zealand radio network playing adult contemporary music or Pop music. It is operated by MediaWorks New Zealand.MORE FM broadcasts in 22 centres throughout New Zealand with local programming in most markets between 6am and 1pm and networked programming the rest of the day...
  
  Christchurch
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Dylan Taite
  Dylan Taite
  Dylan Taite was New Zealand's top rock music journalist. Born in Liverpool, he began working as a television journalist in New Zealand in the early 1970s. A passionate music fan , he soon began making his reputation with eccentric interviews of top musicians which came as close to gonzo journalism...

Film

Kombi Nation
The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai
The Last Samurai is a 2003 American epic drama film directed and co-produced by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan. The film was inspired by a project developed by writer and director Vincent Ward, who had previously filmed the movie in 1990, starring...
The Whale Rider
The Whale Rider
Whale Rider is a 2002 New Zealand drama film directed by Niki Caro, based on the novel of the same name by Witi Ihimaera. The film stars Keisha Castle-Hughes as Kahu Paikea Apirana, a 12-year-old girl struggling to become the chief of the tribe. Her grandfather Koro believes that this is a role...
17 December: World premiere of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a 2003 epic fantasy-drama film directed by Peter Jackson that is based on the second and third volumes of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings...

in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...

Athletics

Todd Stevens wins his first national title in the men's marathon, clocking 2:30:09 on 3 May in Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...

, while Maree Turner claims her first in the women's championship (2:55:40).

Basketball

The NBL
National Basketball League (New Zealand)
The National Basketball League, often abbreviated to the NBL, is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in New Zealand.There were 10 teams in the 2010 season with teams based in Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Invercargill, Nelson, New Plymouth, North Shore, Palmerston North,...

won by the Wellington Saints
Wellington Saints
The Wellington Saints are a professional basketball team that play in the New Zealand National Basketball League. They play their home games at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington, New Zealand. For sponsorship reasons, they are known as the Exodus 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

Harness racing

The 100th running of the New Zealand Trotting Cup
New Zealand Trotting Cup
The New Zealand Trotting Cup or New Zealand Cup is a Group One harness race held annually by the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club at Addington Raceway in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is considered the country's most prestigious harness racing event. the prize was NZ$750,000, the largest prize for a...

was won by Just an Excuse
Auckland Trotting Cup
Auckland Trotting Cup
The Auckland Trotting Cup or Auckland Cup is a race held at Alexandra Park in March in Auckland, New Zealand for Standardbred horses. It is one of two major harness races, along with the New Zealand Cup, held in New Zealand each year. It is notable as it is a Group 1 championship race over...

: Elsu

Netball

the 11th Netball World Championships
Netball World Championships
The World Netball Championships is a quadrennial international netball world championship co-ordinated by the International Federation of Netball Associations , inaugurated in 1963. Since its inception the competition has been dominated primarily by the Australian national netball team and the New...

were held in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...

. New Zealand
Silver Ferns
The New Zealand national netball team, commonly known as the Silver Ferns, represent New Zealand in international netball. The team take their nickname from the Silver Tree Fern , which is an iconic emblem for many New Zealand sports teams. The Silver Ferns were formed in 1938 as a representative...

won, beating Australia in the final.

Rugby union

11 October: Auckland defeat Canterbury to win the Ranfurly Shield
Ranfurly Shield
The Ranfurly Shield, colloquially known as the Log o' Wood, is a trophy in New Zealand's domestic rugby union competition. First played for in 1904, the Ranfurly Shield is based on a challenge system, rather than a league or knockout competition as with most football trophies...

, ending Canterbury's run of 23 defences.
11 October: New Zealand - 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 - Loser SF2) New Zealand beat France (40 - 13) to take 3rd place in the Rugby World Cup

Rugby league

Bartercard Cup
Bartercard Cup
The Bartercard Cup was the top level rugby league club competition in New Zealand from 2000 until 2007. For the entire life of the tournament it was sponsored by Bartercard. The cup was administered by the New Zealand Rugby League...

won by Canterbury Bulls
Canterbury Bulls
The Canterbury rugby league team are a rugby league team who represent the Canterbury Rugby League. They are currently nicknamed the Bulls but have previously had other nicknames such as the Reds. They are based at Rugby League Park in Christchurch....
The New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...

finished 6th (of 15 teams) in the minor premiership, qualifying for the finals series, where they won two games before losing the preliminary final to minor premieres the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...

.

Soccer

New Zealand National Soccer League
New Zealand National Soccer League
The National Soccer League is a name given to competitions in which New Zealand's top soccer clubs play each other, at least two times, on a home and away basis . At the completion of the competition, the best-performed team is declared as the New Zealand champion...

won by Miramar Rangers
Miramar Rangers
Miramar Rangers AFC is a semi-professional New Zealand association football club in the Wellington suburb of Miramar. They are current holders of the Chatham Cup, the fourth time they have won the trophy...
The Chatham Cup
2003 Chatham Cup
The 2003 Chatham Cup was the 76th annual nationwide knockout football competition in New Zealand.Up to the last 16 of the competition, the cup was run in three regions , with an open draw from the quarter-finals on. In all, 131 teams took part in the competition...

is won by University - Mount Wellington
University - Mount Wellington
University-Mount Wellington is an association football club in Auckland, New Zealand. It was formed from the amalgamation of Mount Wellington AFC and Auckland University AFC, and is one of the country's strongest sides...

who beat Melville United
Melville United
Melville United AFC is a professional football club in Melville, Hamilton, New Zealand. It competes in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Premier.-History:...

3—1 in the final.

Yachting

19 January: Swiss yacht Alinghi
Alinghi
Alinghi is the syndicate set up by Ernesto Bertarelli, racing under the colors of the Société Nautique de Genève, to challenge for the America's Cup. Bertarelli had raced several smaller yachts named Alinghi previously, but 2003 was his first attempt at the America's Cup...

, skippered by Russell Coutts, beats Oracle BMW Racing 4-1 to win the Louis Vuitton Cup
Louis Vuitton Cup
The Louis Vuitton Cup is a yachting competition connected with the America's Cup. The Louis Vuitton Cup was used as the selection series to select the team to sail as the challenger in the America's Cup...

off Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

and goes on to challenge Team New Zealand
Team New Zealand
Team New Zealand is a sailing team based in Auckland, New Zealand representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.Team New Zealand has become a household name in their home country following their consecutive wins in the America's Cup in 1995 and 2000...

for the America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...

.
2 March: Alinghi, skippered by Russell Coutts, beats Team New Zealand boat New Zealand skippered by Dean Barker 5-0 to win the America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...

Deaths

8 January: Mac Price
Mac Price
Macalister "Mac" Price, , was a senior New Zealand Foreign Affairs official, who held diplomatic postings in Japan, Australia, Indonesia, the South Pacific, Samoa, and Malaysia....

, diplomat.
22 January: Dylan Taite
Dylan Taite
Dylan Taite was New Zealand's top rock music journalist. Born in Liverpool, he began working as a television journalist in New Zealand in the early 1970s. A passionate music fan , he soon began making his reputation with eccentric interviews of top musicians which came as close to gonzo journalism...

, music journalist.
14 April: John Kent
John Kent (cartoonist)
John Kent was a New Zealand cartoonist who is best known as the author of the Varoomshka comic strip in the English newspaper The Guardian during the 1970s....

, cartoonist.
30 April: Peter 'Possum' Bourne
Peter 'Possum' Bourne
Peter Raymond George "Possum" Bourne was a champion New Zealand rally car driver. He died under non-competitive circumstances while driving on a public road that was to be the track for an upcoming race.- Awards :...

, rally driver.
12 May: Stan Lay
Stan Lay
Stanley Arthur Lay, MBE was a New Zealand track and field athlete who competed in javelin throwing at the 1928 Summer Olympics at Amsterdam, the 1930 British Empire Games in Hamilton, the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney, and the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland.In 1928 he finished...

, MBE, Olympic javelin thrower
24 May: Dr. Neil Cherry
Neil Cherry
Neil Cherry ONZM was a New Zealand environmental scientist.Cherry specialised most recently in the effects of electromagnetic radiation on human health, following his earlier work in meteorology and wind energy...

, environmental scientist.
21 July: John Davies
John Davies (athlete)
John Llewellyn Davies was a New Zealand Olympic bronze medalist and president of the New Zealand Olympic Committee ....

, athlete.
2 September: Dame Reubina (Ann) Ballin
Reubina Ballin
Dame Reubina Ann Ballin, ONZ, DBE was knighted for her contributions to the welfare of New Zealanders. She attended St Hilda's Collegiate School, Waikato Diocesan School, the University of Auckland and the University of Canterbury .She was chairperson of the Victims’ Task Force from 1988 to 1993...

.
5 September: Sir Richard Harrison, politician.
7 September: Merv Wellington
Merv Wellington
Mervyn Langlois "Merv" Wellington, QSO was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.-Member of Parliament:...

, politician.
15 September: Anthony Treadwell
Anthony Treadwell
Anthony "Tony" Treadwell was an early member of the Wellington Architectural Centre and an accomplished modernist architect, architectural educator and painter...

, architect.
31 October: Lindsay Weir
Lindsay Weir (cricketer)
Gordon Lindsay Weir played 11 Tests for New Zealand. He was known as Dad Weir. He was the world's oldest Test cricketer upon his death.-References:...

, cricketer.
24 November: Millie Khan
Millie Khan
Millie Cecilia Khan was a lawn bowls competitor for New Zealand.A competitor at four Commonwealth Games; she won a silver medal in the women's singles at the 1990 Commonwealth Games. She won a bronze medal in the same event at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.She won a total of twelve national titles...

, bowler.

Jonathan Dennis, film historian.
Mike Hinge
Mike Hinge
Mike Hinge illustrator and graphic designer. Born Auckland, New Zealand, August 9, 1931, Died Philadelphia, United States, August 2003....

, artist and illustrator.
Philip Holloway, politician.
Allan McCready
Allan McCready
Allan McCready was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Otaki electorate in Parliament from 1960 to 1972, then the Manawatu electorate from 1972 to 1978, when he retired....

, politician.
Sid Scales
Sid Scales
thumb|57px|A self-portraitSid Scales was a New Zealand cartoonist.He studied at the London Central School of Art and was staff cartoonist at the Otago Daily Times from 1951 until his retirement in 1981....

, cartoonist.