Commissioner Clint Rickards and two accomplices are cleared of sexual assault charges. (stuff.co.nz) 18 March – Mount Ruapehu's crater lake overflows resulting in a lahar. No major damage is reported. (wikinews) 21–22 March – New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark meets U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington, D.C. (whitehouse.gov) April 1 April – Severe flooding in Northland results in millions of dollars worth of damage. (NZ Herald) 2 April – Auckland Hospital reveals that one of its patients is suffering from Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, and that up to 43 of its patients could be at risk. (Yahoo/Newstalk ZB) 3 April – the Bazley Report into police conduct is released, citing "disgraceful" conduct among policemen going back to 1979. The release of the report prompts a public apology from police commissioner Howard Broad. (stuffco.nz) May 10 May – The Privy Council quashes the conviction of David Bain for the May 1995 murder of his family in Dunedin, ordering a retrial, alleging a "substantial miscarriage of justice". (NZ Herald) 16 May – Parliament passes the Crimes (Abolition of Force as a Justification for Child Discipline) Amendment Act, (commonly misrepresented as the "anti-smacking bill"), removing 'reasonable force' as a justification in child assault cases. (NZPA) United Future MP Gordon Copeland quits his party after United's leader Peter Dunne votes in favour of the bill. Copeland announces his intention to form a new party called Future New Zealand. (NZ Herald) 30 May – Folole Muliaga dies after the power to her Auckland home is disconnected by electricity company Mercury Energy for failure to pay her overdue account; Mrs Muliaga was dependent on an oxygen life support machine. (NZ Herald) June 6 June – Emirates Team New Zealand wins the Louis Vuitton Cup 5-0 against Luna Rossa in Valencia.(Americas Cup Official Website) 7 June – The Reserve Bank intervenes in the currency market by selling New Zealand Dollars to try to halt the increase in value of the currency. This was the first such intervention since the NZD was floated in 1985 (Currency News) 14–15 June – The military government of Fiji expels New Zealand high commissioner Michael Green. (BBC) The following day, Fairfax journalist Michael Field is deported. (stuff.co.nz) 21 June – The Solicitor General announces that David Bain, currently released on bail after the Privy Council quashed his convictions for the May 1995 murder of his family and siblings, will face a retrial