The following lists events that happened during 2003 in New Zealand. Population Estimated population as of 31 December: 4,061,600 Increase since 31 December 2002: 72,000 (1.81%) Males per 100 Females: 96.2 Incumbents Regal and viceregal Head of State – Elizabeth II Governor-General – Dame Silvia Cartwright PCNZM, DBE, QSO 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) Chief Justice — Sian Elias Opposition leaders National – Bill English then Don Brash (Leader of the Opposition) Greens – Jeanette Fitzsimons and Rod Donald Act – Richard Prebble New Zealand First – Winston Peters United Future – Peter Dunne Main centre leaders Mayor of Auckland – John Banks Mayor of Hamilton – David Braithwaite Mayor of Wellington – Kerry Prendergast Mayor of Christchurch – Garry Moore Mayor of Dunedin – Sukhi Turner Events 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 June – Air Adventures flight crashes on approach to Christchurch Airport, killing eight on board 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. 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 – the 2003 Fiordland earthquake