2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Union negotiations, Demands and counteroffers
The key point to use the same assumptions to compare the annual yearly cost as a percent of salary for a half pay pension for someone starting at age 30 and retiring at age 62. The additional seven-year wait would drive the cost down to under 17% of salary annual cost. In essence, the MTA's proposal was a greater than 8% salary cut across the board. Using a slightly worse mortality table, the effective salary cut is still within the 7% to 6% salary cut range in terms of value given up. By not accepting the MTA pension offer, Local 100 of the TWU was not forced to a cut. Citing the rising cost of health care, the MTA wanted new employees to contribute 1% of their salary to pay for health insurance. Transit workers currently do not pay for health insurance.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Union negotiations, Demands and counteroffers
TWU workers also raised complaints about working conditions, including hazards such as smoke, dangerous chemicals and extreme temperatures, abuse from supervisors, verbal or physical threat from passengers, and inability to access restroom facilities on the bus and subway. Just before the contract ended, the MTA offered a 3.5% per year raise and no change in the retirement age, with the caveat that new transit workers pay 6% of their wages into the pension fund, up from the 2% that current workers pay. The offer was rejected, and a strike declared.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Union negotiations, Demands and counteroffers
Combined, the pension and health care reforms the MTA sought would cost about US$30 million over the span of the three-year contract. Critics lambasted both the MTA and TWU for allowing a strike to occur over such a relatively small sum. However, the pension costs would balloon to US$160 million in the first 10 years, and US$80 million per year after 20 years.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Union negotiations, Demands and counteroffers
The MTA said that its reluctance to give in to the TWU on this point stems from fear of future deficits (projected to be $1 billion by 2009), although critics contend that its assertion of deficits in early 2005 was fabricated to justify fare hikes. The 2012 MTA budget maintained a $68 million deficit.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Union negotiations, Demands and counteroffers
In 2005, the MTA reported a $1 billion surplus, but it was borrowing heavily for "capital" projects that were little more than ongoing maintenance. In addition, many operating expenses had been reclassified as "reimbursible" by the capital plan, so money could be borrowed to pay for them. The surplus, in effect, was the MTA going into debt more slowly than expected. Some of the surplus came from abnormally high real estate taxes caused by the real estate boom, and quickly disappeared. Meanwhile, by 2009 MTA deficits outgrew the most pessimistic projections. However, unlike in the 1970s debts run up to add fare discounts and divert tax dollars away from maintenance spending via the capital plan were as much or more to blame as the pension plan, because the attempt to restore the 20/50 pension plan via strike did not succeed.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Union negotiations, Demands and counteroffers
The TWU, for its part, later claimed that it was forced to strike in order to prevent the MTA from raising the retirement age, rather than striking to reduce the retirement age. That was not the case, however, because it is state legislation that sets the terms of the pension plan, and under state law pension terms may not even be the subject of collective bargaining. Years after the strike, the pension plan remains retirement at age 55 after 25 years worked.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Union negotiations, Demands and counteroffers
And as a result of past underfunding, due to optimistic rate of return assumptions, and other pension enhancements that benefitted the TWU, such a retroactive inflation adjustment for retirees and an end to employee contributions, the cost of the pension plan to New York City Transit soared from $468 million in FY 2005 to $770 million in FY 2010 with a projected $950 million in pension costs forecast for FY 2014.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Losses
The city estimated that it stood to lose US$400 million on Tuesday — the first day of the strike — and US$300 million each on Wednesday and Thursday. Emergency services response time may have been slowed significantly due to increased traffic congestion, possibly creating a danger to life. It was estimated that retailers and others lost about $400 million a day in the middle of their busiest season. Public schools used a delayed schedule. Some private high schools closed completely for the week, while other schools such as St. John's had an ineffective contingency plan.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Losses
The same day of the start of the strike, Justice Theodore T. Jones warned the transit union that there would be a US$1 million fine for every day that the Transit Authority is shut down. In addition, for each day the workers missed during the strike, they would be fined two days' pay (their regular wages for the day plus a one-day penalty). Justice Jones had also considered imposing an additional US$1,000 per day of fines on the union leaders, as well as the possibility of jail time for them.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Losses
Legal representatives for the city presented arguments before Justice Theodore T. Jones requesting individual penalties of US$25,000 per day, per public transit worker striking. And an additional US$22 million per day for economic damages as estimated by the mayor resultant to lost tax revenue and overtime required for increased law enforcement. There were between 32,000 and 34,000 strikers.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
Before the strike, bus drivers were instructed to finish their route and bring their buses to the depot, while subway trains finished their route, and brought their trains back to the yard.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
In anticipation of exceptional traffic volumes, an emergency traffic plan was put into effect shortly after the strike officially began. Weekdays from 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EST, Manhattan south of 96th street, as well as all MTA tunnels and bridges, were subject to HOV-4 restrictions; that is, vehicles must contain a minimum of four passengers, and commercial trucks and vans were prohibited. To increase car capacities, carpool staging areas were set up. Alternate side of the street parking rules had been suspended. The HOV car restrictions changed much of the commuting schedules of thousands of motorists.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
Significantly more inbound vehicles used the Manhattan crossings from 4 to 5 a.m. and after 11 a.m. for the duration for the strike, compared to before the strike. Additionally, during 5 to 11 a.m., inbound strike traffic on Manhattan crossings was reduced compared to regular traffic. The HOV-4 restrictions significantly reduced vehicle traffic into the Manhattan central business district compared to the HOV-2 restrictions during the 1980 strike.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
Commuters were being encouraged by the city to walk or bike to work; many bridges were open to pedestrian traffic, including the Triborough Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, and George Washington Bridge for commuters from New Jersey. Pedestrian traffic on the four bridges during the strike rose 20- to 50-fold compared to before the strike. On the third day of the strike, a firefighter was critically injured while biking to work when he and a privately operated bus collided. The mayor addressed this in a press conference later on in the day. Many commuters used the New York Water Taxi service from NY Waterway as an alternative to get to Manhattan from the Brooklyn Army Terminal, Hunts Point, South Amboy, and Jersey City. Other commuters simply stayed home from work.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
Taxis were permitted to pick up multiple fares, and operated on a zone system rather than metered fare. Manhattan was divided into four zones, with one zone for each of the other four boroughs. The base fare, for travel within one zone, was limited to US$10 a person (although few cabbies charged less) charged in advance instead of at the end of the ride, plus an additional $5 per person for each additional zone. There were reports of much higher prices than normal demanded by taxi drivers, some charging over $50 per person. However, this was not the norm, and most taxi drivers provided their services within the guidelines.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
Public schools started two hours later than usual, with school bus pickup times also two hours later than normal. Major universities provided extended shuttle service to students, faculty, and staff; many students were in the middle of taking final exams. While buses under the New York City Transit banner were non-operational, some MTA Bus Company services—such as the Command Bus Company—were running, including some express buses between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The Fox News Channel operated its own buses during the strike along several major routes, giving riders a free trip while the station broadcast live from the buses. Multi-day MetroCard passes were extended on a day-for-day basis for the duration of the strike.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
Passengers on the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad were charged a strike fare of US$4.00 for intracity travel. Metro-North Railroad had a special East Bronx shuttle (making all Harlem Line stops from Mount Vernon West to Grand Central Terminal, but bypassing Tremont and Melrose) by December 21. Regular peak trains did not stop in the Bronx. There were similar plans on the Hudson Line, and in addition there was a special park and ride lot near Yankee Stadium, and at Shea Stadium in Queens.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
The New Haven Line ran normally, stopping at Fordham only in the Bronx, as usual. Long Island Rail Road customers also faced service changes. There was no service to Bellerose, Hollis, Rosedale, Locust Manor, Saint Albans, or Hunterspoint Avenue during rush hours. Shuttle trains operated between Jamaica/Great Neck and Penn Station. During middays, additional shuttle service was provided to Bellerose and Long Island City. During the strike, the LIRR recorded a 60% increase in daily ridership compared to before the strike, and the Metro-North recorded a 40% increase.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Consequences, Contingency plans
The PATH ran extra service between 33rd Street and the World Trade Center from 6 AM to 8 PM during the days of the strike. During the strike, the PATH recorded a 50% increase in daily ridership compared to before the strike.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Resolution
At a news conference the morning of December 22, 2005, it was announced that the state mediator, Richard Curreri, had reached a preliminary agreement between the MTA and a TWU team including Roger Toussaint for transit workers to return to work for a time without a contract. Progress had also been made on the pensions issue. At 2:35  p.m. EST, December 22, the agreement was approved by the executive board of the TWU local (36 yes, 5 no and 2 abstentions). Agreements were made on the ability to use restroom facilities by workers during shifts. Workers began to restore services. Buses and subways were restored at midnight, while signals, switches, stations, and other things were checked out. The MTA says that service was incrementally added during the later morning rush hour. By late morning service was running on a normal weekday schedule.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Resolution
At a news conference on the evening of December 27, 2005, Roger Toussaint announced an agreement with the MTA calling for no change in the pension, 3%, 4%, and 3.5% annual salary increases for the next three years respectively plus a 1.5% of salary cost to workers to help defray health care costs. In addition, they got Martin Luther King, Jr. Day as a paid holiday — viewed to be very important, as the workforce is now mainly black (Caribbean, African-American) as well as  Asian, or Hispanic. Also, the union won a refund of some prior employee pension contributions.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Resolution
On January 2, 2006, several TWU Local 100 representatives gathered up in Union Square and held a press conference, threatening to go on strike again if the MTA does not stop "keeping secrets." Roger Toussaint however, disagrees with the representatives and claims "the contract is fair enough."


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Resolution
On January 5, 2006, MTA chairman Peter Kalikow, a Pataki appointee, conceded that making the pension cutback demand was an error.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Resolution
On January 20, 2006 it was announced that the contract was rejected by 7 votes out of approximately 22,000 cast.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Resolution
On January 31, 2006 Local 100's executive board met to decide on its response to both the MTA latest offer and the rank and file's rejection.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Resolution
On March 15, 2006, Toussaint announced that he wanted a revote on the rejected contract and two days later, there was a vote of 24-12 in favor of a revote and on April 18, Toussaint announced that the union has approved it by a vote of 14,716 to 5,877. The MTA, however, has said the contract is no longer on the table and sought binding arbitration to settle negotiation, which the arbitrator did on December 15 when the board imposed a new three-year contract that both the MTA and TWU Local 100 must accept.


2005 New York City transit strike, Context, Resolution
Beginning in June 2006, the Taylor law penalties were deducted from striking workers' checks. Withholding of the Union checkoff was withheld until early 2007. The TWU agree to pay over $300,000 a month towards strike-related penalties.


2005 New York City transit strike, Public response
According to a NY1 news poll, 41% of New Yorkers thought both the MTA and the Transport Workers Union were to blame for the strike. About 27% solely faulted the MTA, while 25% blamed the union for the walkout. 54% of New Yorkers thought what the union wanted was fair compared to 36% who did not. But race was also shown to play into this result: 38% of white New Yorkers thought the TWU's demands were fair, while nearly three-quarters of both African-Americans and Latinos agreed with the TWU's proposals. Three times as many white New Yorkers said the union is more to blame for the strike than did African-American New Yorkers.


2005 New York City transit strike, Public response
As for Mayor Michael Bloomberg's handling of the crisis, 51% said he did "not so good" or "poor," while 45% said he did "great" or "good," Governor George E. Pataki attracted more blame, with 69% saying his performance was "not good" or "poor," and just 23% saying he did "great" or "good."


2005 New York City transit strike, Public response
One day before the strike, an AM New York poll showed that, when given the choice, 68% of respondents favored the MTA while only 32% favored the local TWU in negotiations.


2005 New York Film Critics Circle Awards
The 71st New York Film Critics Circle Awards, honoring the best in film for 2005, were announced on 12 December 2005 and presented on 8 January 2006.


2005 New York Giants season
The 2005 New York Giants season was the franchise's 81st season in the National Football League. The Giants finished the regular season with 11 wins and 5 losses and came in first place of the NFC East. However, they would lose to the Carolina Panthers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.


2005 New York Giants season, Offseason
In the 2005 offseason the Giants acquired former Steelers’ wide receiver Plaxico Burress, former Jets offensive tackle Kareem McKenzie and former Redskins linebacker Antonio Pierce as free agents. Also, during the 2005 Draft, the Giants used their first pick on Louisiana State cornerback Corey Webster. They then used their next pick on Notre Dame defensive end Justin Tuck. The rest of their picks included Southern Illinois running back Brandon Jacobs and Florida State defensive end Eric Moore.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
The Giants won their first two games of the season, against the Arizona Cardinals (42–19) and a second game at the Meadowlands against the New Orleans Saints. The game was originally slated to be a home game for the Saints but had to be moved since the city of New Orleans was still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, and the Louisiana Superdome was untenable after being used as an emergency shelter for locals displaced by the hurricane.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
Despite the Saints wearing their home colors and the Saints colors and logo being painted in one of the end zones, the game was a de facto home game for the Giants who won easily, 27–10. The Giants lost to the Chargers the following week, 45–23, in a game which was marked by Chargers fans booing and jeering Eli Manning for refusing to play for the Chargers. Manning and the Giants rebounded the following week however, and beat the St. Louis Rams by a score of 44–24.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
Through eight games, Burress, in a bid to become the first Giant wideout to make the Pro Bowl in 37 years, had 45 catches and five scores. Jeremy Shockey, who had not been as effective as he was in his rookie season, also was beginning to re-emerge with 32 catches and over 500 yards receiving after eight weeks.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
On October 25, 2005, beloved Giants patriarch Wellington Mara died after a brief illness, at the age of 89. Mara had been involved with the Giants since he was 9 years old, when he was a ball boy for the Giants. Except a tour of duty in the military during World War II, Mara spent his entire adult life with the Giants. The New York Giants dedicated their next game to Mara, and shut out the Washington Redskins 36–0.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
Afterwards, the Giants went on the road and defeated the San Francisco 49ers 24–6, but when they got home, lost to the Minnesota Vikings 24–21. Just twenty days after Mara's death, on November 15, 2005, the other Giants Executive Officer and well-known businessman Bob Tisch died at the age of 79. He was diagnosed in 2004 with inoperable brain cancer. Tisch was a philanthropist all his life and donated considerable sums of money to charitable causes. After his diagnosis, he donated money to institutions aimed towards the research of drugs and treatments to control brain tumors.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
The Giants then travelled to Seattle to play the Seahawks. With the score tied at 21, kicker Jay Feely missed three field goals that would have given the Giants the lead. The Giants lost 24–21 when Seahawks kicker Josh Brown kicked a 36-yard field goal. The Giants then defeated the Cowboys 17–10. the Giants defense made opposing QB Drew Bledsoe go 15 of 39 for 146 yards with only one touchdown pass and two interceptions. The Giants then traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and defeated the defending NFC champion Eagles 26–23.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
During the season, the Giants and their stadium mates, the New York Jets, announced plans for a new stadium to replace Giants Stadium for both teams. Construction of said stadium began in 2007 and continued for two years, and the venue opened in 2010 as New Meadowlands Stadium. In 2011 naming rights would be bought by MetLife.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
On December 17, 2005, in their 27–17 home victory against the Kansas City Chiefs, Tiki Barber set the team's single game rushing yard record with 220 yards, breaking the previous record of 218 yards, which had been set by Gene Roberts on November 12, 1950.


2005 New York Giants season, Regular season
The Giants were able to clinch at least a wild card berth without playing when the Minnesota Vikings fell to the Baltimore Ravens 30–23 in week 16. The Giants then won the NFC East title for the first time since 2000 with a 30–21 win against the Oakland Raiders. The team's appearance in the 2005 postseason was their 27th, tied with the Cowboys and the Rams for the most ever by an NFL team.


2005 New York Giants season, Playoffs
While the Giants exceeded expectations in 2005, it came at the cost of key players suffering injuries over the course of the long season. An undermanned, and then depleted Giants squad lost 23–0 to the Carolina Panthers in the wild card round.


2005 New York Jets season
The 2005 New York Jets season was the franchise's 36th season in the National Football League (NFL), the 46th season overall, and the fifth and final under head coach Herman Edwards. The Jets were attempting to improve upon their 10–6 record from 2004 but failed to do so, and finished the season with a 4–12 record and missing the playoffs.


2005 New York Jets season, Schedule
In addition to their regular games with AFC East rivals, the Jets played teams from the AFC West and NFC South as per the schedule rotation, and also played intraconference games against the Ravens and the Jaguars based on divisional positions from 2004.


2005 New York Liberty season
The 2005 WNBA season was the ninth for the New York Liberty. The Liberty advanced to the playoffs, but they were quickly swept by the Indiana Fever in the Conference Semifinals.


2005 New York Mets season
The New York Mets' 2005 season was the 44th regular season for the Mets. They went 83-79 and finished 3rd in the NL East. They were managed by Willie Randolph. They played home games at Shea Stadium. The 2005 season is also noteworthy for being Mike Piazza's last season as a Met. In the last game of the season, he was given a long standing ovation from the fans at Shea Stadium.


2005 New York Mets season, Regular season, Roster, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In


2005 New York Underground Film Festival
These are the films shown at the 12th New York Underground Film Festival, held from March 9–15, 2005


2005 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees' 2005 season was the 103rd season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 95-67 finishing with the same record as the Boston Red Sox but winning the division due to a head-to-head advantage over Boston. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. In the playoffs, they lost in the ALDS in 5 games to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. It was also their eleventh year going to the playoffs in a row.


2005 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Batting, Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


2005 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Batting, Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in


2005 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Pitching, Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; GS = Games started; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


2005 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Pitching, Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


2005 New York Yankees season, Player stats, Pitching, Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts


2005 New Zealand Grand Prix
The 2005 New Zealand Grand Prix was an open wheel racing car race held at Teretonga Park, near Invercargill on 16 January 2005.


2005 New Zealand Grand Prix
It was the fiftieth New Zealand Grand Prix and was open to Formula Ford cars.


2005 New Zealand Music Awards
The 2005 New Zealand Music Awards took place on 5 October 2005 at the Aotea Centre in Auckland.


2005 New Zealand Music Awards, Awards and nominees
The 'Lifetime Achievement Award' category was changed to 'Outstanding Contribution to the Growth in NZ Music on Radio'.


2005 New Zealand Music Awards, Awards and nominees
The Best Maori Album and Best Gospel / Christian Album categories were not awarded due to insufficient entries.


2005 New Zealand Music Awards, Awards and nominees
Multiple winners on the night included Fat Freddy's Drop with five awards.


2005 New Zealand NBL season
This is the current revision of this page, as edited by WOSlinkerBot (talk | contribs) at 21:06, 20 June 2020 (remove un-needed options from tables). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this version.


2005 New Zealand NBL season
The 2005 NBL season was the 24th season of the National Basketball League. The Auckland Stars won the championship in 2005 to claim their ninth league title.


2005 New Zealand Screen Awards
The inaugural New Zealand Screen Awards were held on Wednesday 27 July 2005 at SkyCity Theatre in Auckland, New Zealand. Following the demise of the GOFTA awards, the Screen Directors Guild of New Zealand founded the New Zealand Screen Awards to honour excellence in New Zealand film and television. Due to there having been no film awards in 2004, the eligibility period was from 1 October 2003 to July 2005. In the weeks ahead of the awards presentation, sponsor SkyCity screened a series of nominated short films. The film In My Father's Den was nominated in all 12 of the feature film award categories and won 10 awards.


2005 New Zealand Screen Awards, Nominees and Winners
No finalists were selected for the Feature Film categories Achievement in Production Design, Achievement in Make-Up, Achievement in Special Effects/CGI due to lack of entries.


2005 New Zealand Screen Awards, Nominees and Winners
There were 12 feature film categories, two digital feature categories, four short film categories and 22 television categories.


2005 New Zealand Warriors season
The 2005 New Zealand Warriors season was the 11th in the club's history. The club competed in Australasia's National Rugby League. The coach of the team was Tony Kemp while Steve Price was the club captain.


2005 New Zealand Warriors season, Jersey & Sponsors
The Warriors again made no changes to their jersey design for the 2005 season. During Round Sixteen a replica 1995 jersey was worn against the Brisbane Broncos to mark the 10th season of the Warriors.


2005 New Zealand Warriors season, Fixtures
The Warriors used Ericsson Stadium as their home ground in 2005, their only home ground since they entered the competition in 1995.


2005 New Zealand Warriors season, Fixtures, Pre-Season
The Warriors played a match against the NZRL's Presidents selection at North Harbour Stadium on 27 February. The President's selection was coached by John Ackland and Tawera Nikau and included: Toshio Laiseni, Cooper Vuna, Simon Mannering, Joshua Davis, Rowan Baxter, Daniel Vasau, Bernard Perenara, George Tuakura, Ben Lythe, Phil Shead, Odell Manuel, Chris Newton, Wayne McDade. Interchange: Paul Atkins, Andreas Bauer, Marvin Filipo, Robinson Godfrey, Pinomi Tafea, Willie Live, Artie Shead, Sam Rapira, Chris Tupou, Dean Shepherd, Antonio Tusani. For the Warriors, the match was Nathan Fien's first for the club. The Warriors won the game 58–6.


2005 New Zealand Warriors season, Squad
Twenty Four players were used by the Warriors in 2005, including several players who made their first grade debuts.


2005 New Zealand Warriors season, Other Teams
Players not required by the Warriors were released to play in the 2005 Bartercard Cup. This included Cooper Vuna who played for the Otahuhu-Ellerslie Leopards.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards
The 2005 New Zealand bravery awards were announced via a special honours list on 29 January 2005, and recognised 26 people, including four posthumously, for acts of bravery between 1999 and 2004.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
On the morning of 9 April 2000, two brothers aged 13 and 14 years at the time were fishing in the Waihao River around an area known as the "box"; so-called because of its wooden boxed internal waterway channel. While walking alongside the box structure they began sinking into the stones, but managed to get away. The younger boy lost a gumboot during the incident, so the older boy went back to retrieve it and became trapped. The younger boy ran for help and found Mr Deam in the nearby car park.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
By the time Mr Deam reached the box, the older boy was buried up to his chest in the stones. Mr Deam unsuccessfully attempted to pull him out by using his jacket as a rope. He then instructed the younger boy to hold onto the end of the jacket while he ran to get a rope from his car. He looped the rope under the sinking boy's arms and shoulders, however, the boy continued to sink.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
Mr Deam then drove to the nearest house, but the occupant had no telephone so both men returned to the boy who was by then up to his neck in the stones. Pulling on the rope only seemed to hasten the sinking, so the second man went to a nearby farm to call for help and upon his return could only see the boy's hands. Mr Deam had continued with his efforts to rescue the boy, including trying to dig him out, keeping his head above the water and his mouth free of shingle.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
Another man arrived to help and Mr Deam decided to enter the box channel from the opposite end and try to push or pull the boy from underneath. He removed most of his clothing and entered the dark, confined and extremely dangerous channel, pushing against the strong current and moving shingle. He located the correct position by knocking and calling out to the third man and was able to find the boy's leg to try and push him free. At this time a member of the Fire Service arrived to assist wearing a wetsuit. Mr Deam was taken away for medical attention shortly afterwards suffering from the extreme cold. Heavy equipment was later called in to remove the boy, who had by that time drowned.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
On the morning of Friday 10 December 1999, a man entered his home and instructed his defacto partner to go to the shops for some cigarettes. While she was away, he killed their children by cutting their throats. When she returned to their home he attempted to cut her throat and stab her to death. Her screams were heard by two neighbours, Mr Fenton Penetana and Mr Mokaraka, who both went to her aid. Upon entering the house they were confronted by the man who was attempting to kill his partner on the lounge floor.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
The two men tried to disarm him and in the process Mr Mokaraka received a fatal stab wound to the chest. Mr Fenton Penetana and the woman continued to defend themselves against the man's crazed attacks with the knife. After a fight lasting some considerable time, Mr Fenton Penetana managed to disarm the man before he and the woman were able to make their escape. The man then locked himself inside the house with his two deceased children and inflicted knife wounds to himself. These were not fatal. He was subsequently charged with three counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, but was found not guilty on grounds of insanity.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
On the evening of 16 June 1999, Constable Klavs was patrolling alone when he saw a van being driven erratically on Jackson Street, Petone. The van had previously been reported stolen. He stopped the van, which contained eight young people and approached the driver, asking for his driver's licence. The driver then presented a sawn-off shotgun at him, resting the weapon on the window sill only a foot or so from the Constable. The driver pulled the trigger, but the firearm did not discharge as the safety catch was on.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
Constable Klavs returned to his Police car and called for assistance. The van left the scene at speed and Constable Klavs followed while reporting on the direction of travel and requesting Police backup. In East Street, the van turned and drove back towards Constable Klavs, ramming his vehicle and pushing the driver's side into a concrete wall. The Constable was forced to leave the Police car via the passenger's door and, fearing for his life, left the scene on foot, now pursued by the van.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
The Constable took cover behind a trailer, while the van first passed him and then returned again. Constable Klavs left the trailer and ran along the street, pursued by the van with the occupants abusing him and threatening his life. The driver fired the shotgun at Constable Klavs, but missed him. The van then left the scene. The driver was subsequently convicted of attempting to murder Constable Klavs.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
At about 1.00 p.m. on 5 July 2002, Detective Jeanette Park and Detective Constable Duncan Taylor went to an address in Taipo Road, Rongotea to warn a local family that a person known to them, and who was the subject of a Domestic Protection Order in respect of a family member, may have returned to the area. While talking to the family they saw the person drive past the house.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
The two officers, who were unarmed, pursued his vehicle which stopped, but when they got out of their vehicle the other person drove off and returned to the Taipo Road address. Both vehicles stopped in the driveway of the house. As the two Police officers left their car the male occupant of the other presented a rifle at Detective Constable Taylor and without warning, fired a single shot which killed him instantly. Detective Park considered going to the aid of her colleague but saw the offender point the rifle at her. He fired a shot, which missed.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
He then fired another shot, hitting her in the buttock and inflicting a serious wound. Nevertheless, she was able to jump the cattle stop at the end of the driveway as the offender fired a fourth shot. Believing she was being hunted by the offender and knowing she had to get help; Detective Park used cover to go some 500 metres over farmland to a farm-house. She alerted the occupant to the danger and reported the situation to Police Operations.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Star (NZBS)
She then began taking the occupant to a place of safety but saw that another Police car had arrived and was parked too close to the house where the shooting had taken place. Detective Park made her way up a ditch to the patrol car to warn the officers to move to a place of safety. By this time the pain from her wound was severe and she could no longer stand. She crawled along the roadside and warned another officer of the danger. Detective Park was then evacuated to hospital to have her wound treated. The family were eventually rescued unharmed and the offender arrested. The actions of the two officers had given the family time to barricade themselves in a room from which they eventually made their escape unharmed.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
Shortly after midnight on 4 June 2001, Constable Knight attended a violent domestic incident near Tapanui. The two occupants of a house had been traumatised by the actions of the male occupant's brother, who had broken into the house and assaulted the male occupant, causing serious injury. He threatened to kill the female occupant and her children and had unsuccessfully attempted to open their fire-arms cabinet. By this time, the female occupant and children had sought safety in a bedroom. Unable to gain access to them, the intruder retreated, armed with a knife and threatening to kill.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
At this point, Constable Knight arrived alone and called for Police backup, which he knew would be up to 30 to 40 minutes away. The intruder reappeared, resisted arrest and engaged in a violent struggle with Constable Knight, who managed to restrain him for approximately 30 minutes until local Fire Brigade members arrived to assist. The offender was subsequently charged with numerous offences.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
On 25 September 2000, Mr John Painting and his son Matthew were tramping in the Kaimanawa Ranges. At an altitude of almost 5,000 feet, they were caught in what was later reported as a "50 year storm" with freezing temperatures, 70 knot winds and blizzard conditions. They were found by chance in a distressed condition and suffering from hypothermia by Mr Brian Pickering, who was on the first day of a six day journey into the Kaimanawa Forest Park.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Decoration (NZBD)
Using his skill and experience, Mr Pickering positioned the two men below a track, placed them in their sleeping bags and gave them food. He also tried to wrap them with a tent to shield them from the driving wind. He then dialled 111 on his cell phone and alerted the Police to the situation. He was able to provide details of their location and names, and requested assistance from the search and rescue organisation. He managed to get both men into one sleeping bag and remained with them, keeping them as warm as possible until help arrived. Throughout the incident he kept in regular contact with the search and rescue headquarters. Mr Pickering put his own life at risk by staying with the two men, who would have died in the storm had it not been for his actions.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On the night of 25 September 2000, Mr Blumhardt, Mr Dobbyn and Mr Singer were the members of a Search and Rescue Team that went out in response to Mr Pickering's 111 distress call. Mr Pickering had gone to the aid of Mr Painting and his son who had got into difficulties at an altitude of 5,000 feet in the Kaimanawa Range during what has been described as a "50 year storm". The three men left Turangi at 11.00 p.m. in pitch darkness and at the height of the storm.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Progress was slow; taking two and a half hours to cover one kilometre. At times they crawled on their hands and knees in wind-chill conditions at times in excess of minus 30 degrees below zero. They declined suggestions from Search and Rescue staff to turn back believing that they may be the only hope for Mr Pickering, Mr Painting and his son. Eventually, however, they were forced by the conditions to cease their rescue attempt and seek shelter.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 31 August 1999, Detective Burke was on patrol by himself in an unmarked Police car when he was advised that a man had shot and wounded a woman at a nearby address in Stoke. The woman had recently taken out a temporary protection order against the offender. The offender had left the address, hi–jacked a car causing injury to the driver, and driven off. Shortly afterwards, Detective Burke noticed the offender pass him going in the opposite direction. He turned his vehicle around and chased the offender's car, with his siren and red and blue lights activated.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The man continued into an industrial site where he stopped suddenly, opened his door and emerged carrying a shotgun. Detective Burke, who was unarmed, stopped his car only four metres away from the offender, opened his door, stood up and called three times for the man to drop his firearm. The man then placed the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and fired the weapon, severely wounding himself. He was later convicted of the attempted murder of the woman.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 1 October 2001 a dangerous bank robber entered a bank in Akaroa wearing a balaclava and armed with a rifle. He pointed the gun at the two tellers and demanded the contents of the tills. As he was leaving, he passed a customer entering the bank, who raised the alarm. At this, the robber ran away. Mr Chandler observed the robber running from the bank carrying a gun, and decided to chase him. He was soon joined in his pursuit by Mr Duncan and Mr Jones and the three men pursued the robber down an alleyway.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Realising he was being chased, the robber stopped and pointed the firearm at them. He then turned and continued to run. The three men also continued their pursuit. The robber then got into a stolen vehicle. Mr Duncan caught up with it and tried to open the driver's door, but was unsuccessful. He recorded the registration number, which was later given to Police. Mr Chandler also caught up the vehicle and broke the passenger's side window in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent it from leaving the area. The assistance of Mr Chandler, Mr Duncan and Mr Jones, and the information they gave the Police, resulted in the subsequent apprehension and conviction of three men.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
At 1 am on 4 September 2002 Constable Cleaver of Kaikohe was on duty alone when he was called to attend to a report of burglars at a chemist shop at Okaihau, 15 kilometres away. On arrival, he disturbed two men who ran from the scene and got into a vehicle. He attempted to stop them by smashing the driver's window and removing the ignition keys. The vehicle, however, drove off, side-swiping the Police vehicle, with Constable Cleaver just managing to pull his arm away. He pursued the men, who stopped their vehicle and reversed it into the Police car.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
They then drove off at speed, with Constable Cleaver continuing the pursuit for some four kilometres before they stopped again. The constable also stopped at a safe distance, but this time the men completed a U-turn and drove their vehicle at speed towards Constable Cleaver, hitting his vehicle in the driver's door and partially knocking it into a drain. The offenders drove off again, still pursued by Constable Cleaver. Again they completed a U-turn and drove directly towards the Constable. He attempted to avoid them by reversing his vehicle, but they struck it head on, immobilising their own vehicle. Both offenders then ran into bush, while Constable Cleaver remained at the scene and assisted with organising a cordon until a dog unit from Whangarei arrived some 30 minutes later.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 17 November 2001, the Police were called to a violent domestic incident in Northcote, Auckland. By the time Sergeant Graham Ford arrived, a man had already assaulted two women, threatened to kill everyone present with a large carving knife, thrown a television set at a Police Constable and resisted pepper spray. Sergeant Ford observed the man lifting his one month-old daughter into the air with one hand, while holding the knife in the other.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Sergeant Ford and his staff forcibly entered the house and instructed the man to drop the knife, at which point the man partly undressed the baby, exposing her chest while making motions to stab her. Pepper spray was again used, but was only effective in distracting the man momentarily. Sergeant Ford used this moment to tackle the man, throwing his knife out of reach, while other officers restrained him. The baby was saved from harm and the offender was subsequently convicted of numerous charges.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 27 October 2002, Mr Gilchrist, aged almost 70 at the time, rescued a man from the surf off the Arawhata River. The man had been swept into the river while whitebaiting. Despite trying to swim to safety, he was carried out by the strong current into the surf on the river bar. The river was running higher than usual because of heavy rain the previous night and the sea was significantly rougher than normal. The man's family noticed what had happened and tried to persuade other whitebaiters with boats to go to his rescue.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
All but one, Mr Gilchrist, declined because of the dangerous conditions. The man had managed to stay afloat on his back in the cold water for approximately 15 minutes before Mr Gilchrist reached him in his small aluminium dingy. He called out for the man to hold on to a handle on the back of the boat, as conditions were too rough for the man to attempt to climb aboard. At this stage a wave broke over the top of the dingy, which was nearly swamped. Despite the conditions, Mr Gilchrist managed to tow the man up the river for a few hundred metres to the safety of the river bank.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
At about 4.00 a.m. on 26 November 1999, Mr Hollis was at a party when a female friend alerted the partygoers to a fire in a house across the road. Mr Hollis and some friends ran across the road and soon realised that the garden hose would be of no help in dousing the flames as the fire had too great a hold. Two friends of Mr Hollis forced a door open and Mr Hollis crawled into the house, followed by another man.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
By this time the windows in the house were starting to explode, but Mr Hollis was able to hear the screams of the children trapped inside. He buried his head in his jersey to try and protect himself from the smoke and went about finding the trapped children. He managed to find six of them, throwing them out of a window to another man who caught them on the outside of the house. Mr Hollis then left the house, but realising another child was still inside, re–entered the building to rescue it. He went back into the building twice more before the children's mother advised him that all her children were safe.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Sergeant (now Flight Sergeant) Jowsey was the winch man on an RNZAF Iroquois helicopter conducting rescue and evacuation tasks on 16 February 2004, following catastrophic flooding throughout the Manawatu, Rangitikei and Wanganui regions. His aircraft was informed that two men were caught in the floodwaters of the Whangaehu River, near the township of Kauangaroa. On arriving at the scene, the first man was quickly located chest deep in water. Sergeant Jowsey was winched down and the man safely recovered. The aircraft captain then spotted the second man being swept downstream.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The aircraft was quickly positioned above the man, who was attempting to cling to a fence, but the force of the water was such that the fence ripped away. The crew realised that this could be a one-chance rescue as the man was being quickly swept away and the river was full of debris including trees, hay bales, dead stock and other debris. The aircraft was then positioned downstream and Sergeant Jowsey was winched into the river.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
As the man came within reach, Sergeant Jowsey caught hold of him, but a combination of his weight, the force of the water and the tension from the winch cable dragged both men under water. At this point, while he was completely submerged, one of Sergeant Jowsey's boots became snagged on an underwater obstruction. He managed to kick free of the obstruction and, having maintained a firm hold of the survivor throughout, placed him in the rescue strop. This is not a simple exercise on land, and in these circumstances required great presence of mind and determination.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Sergeant Jowsey then assisted the survivor to the aircraft. Had Sergeant Jowsey not been winched clear of the water, the man would very likely have perished. Also, as Sergeant Jowsey well knew, if the winch cable had snagged while in the water, it would have to be cut away, placing the rescuer himself in grave danger. Sergeant Jowsey subsequently completed three more rescues that day. Throughout the day he displayed courage, professionalism and great compassion for the people he rescued.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
At about 4.30 p.m. on 3 February 2003, Ethan Kennedy, aged 12, was at home with his father when his father's partner arrived at the house with her former partner. Ethan's father walked outside where he was shot in the hand and stomach with a 410 gauge shotgun. Ethan came out of the house and confronted his father's attacker, screaming and yelling at him to leave his father alone. The attacker pointed the shotgun at Ethan, who pushed him and ran to get help from a neighbouring property.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The attacker left the scene, and Ethan returned with a neighbour to help make his father comfortable before meeting the ambulance and Police and giving a calm and accurate account of what had occurred, together with a description of the offender and the vehicle he has used. There is a high probability that his father would have been shot again if Ethan had not intervened. The attacker later pleaded guilty to several offences including attempted murder. Ethan, at a very young age, displayed a high level of bravery in intervening to help his father.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 10 February 2000, Mr Hamish Neal, aged 15 years, was on a school trip to the Waihao River. While swimming in the river at a point known as the "Black Hole", a fellow student got into trouble and sank beneath the surface. Mr Neal swam over to him and attempted to pull him to safety. Mr Neal was unsuccessful in the attempt and was instead pulled down with him and both students drowned. Both students were members of a special class for children with varying degrees of learning and behavioural difficulty at Waimate High School.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
At about 1.15 p.m. on 11 July 2002, Mr O'Loughlin and a companion were in a vehicle driving in a southerly direction along State Highway One between Whakapara and Hukerenui. Immediately in front of him was a vehicle containing two women. Suddenly the women's vehicle veered to the left, careered over a metal guard barrier and off the side of a bridge. The vehicle then travelled some distance in the swollen river before came to rest almost fully submerged.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
Mr O'Loughlin immediately stopped and without regard for his own safety plunged into the water and managed to rescue one of the women from the sinking vehicle. He swam her back to the safety of the riverbank and then returned to the then submerged vehicle to attempt to retrieve the other woman. He made about five attempts, but was unsuccessful. He and his companion then comforted the rescued woman until the Police and an ambulance arrived.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 13 July 2001, Mr Smith was travelling to Christchurch on Highway 73 near Kirwee, when the vehicle in front, driven by a woman, hit a patch of ice and collided with a fully laden concrete truck. The truck crushed the car and the woman was trapped inside it under the truck, with flames beginning to spread along the underside of the wreckage. Mr Smith immediately stopped his car and went to her aid. After some considerable difficulty, he was able to force open the door of the woman's car and free her from her seat belt. All the time flames were licking around them. The driver of the concrete truck then managed to back his vehicle off the wreckage of the car at which time its petrol tank exploded and the vehicle was incinerated.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 18 April 2003, Mr Spick aged 15, his twin brother and a friend were fishing from the Tinopai Wharf in the Kaipara Harbour. At about 2.00 p.m. that afternoon a young boy approached them and told them his friend, a 7 year old boy, had fallen off the wharf and was drowning as he didn't know how to swim. Mr Spick immediately jumped into the fast flowing out-going tide and managed to reach and hold on to the boy. Mr Spick didn't let go, despite swallowing large quantities of water and being dragged under several times.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The two were washed some 300 metres downstream towards the Kaipara Heads and the Tasman Sea. Meanwhile, Mr Spick's twin brother and friend raced from the wharf to alert a fisherman they had seen earlier. The fisherman went to the aid of Mr Spick and the boy, successfully recovering them from the water in his boat.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
At about 1.00 p.m. on 5 July 2002 Detective Constable Duncan Taylor and Detective Jeanette Park went to Taipo Road, Rongotea to warn a local family that a person known to them may have returned to the area. While talking to the family they saw the person concerned drive past the house.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The two officers followed his vehicle, which then stopped As the Police officers got out of their vehicle the person drove off and returned to the Taipo Road address followed by the Police vehicle Both vehicles stopped in the driveway of the Taipo Road house and as the two Police officers, who were unarmed, left their car, the male occupant of the other car presented a rifle at Detective Constable Taylor and, without warning, fired a single shot which killed him instantly.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
On 15 May 2002, a man entered the Mangere Bridge branch of the ASB Bank, wearing a disguise and carrying a loaded firearm in a bag. As he entered the bank he removed the firearm and approached the customer services representative, pointing the firearm at her and demanding entry into the teller area security alcove. Teller John Vaughan observed these actions from the secure alcove area and realising what was happening, allowed the offender entry as he was instructed to do during bank staff training, thus diverting the robber's attention from the other customer services representative.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The offender entered the area and confronted Mr Vaughan and another teller, pointing the firearm at both of them and demanding that they fill his bag with money. As the tellers filled the bag, the offender told Mr Vaughan that he was going to shoot him in the head and then racked his firearm while pointing it at the tellers. The tellers continued loading the bag, then Mr Vaughan handed it to the offender. During this time, Mr Vaughan had attempted to take the lead and keep the other teller away from danger as much as possible.


2005 New Zealand bravery awards, New Zealand Bravery Medal (NZBM)
The two tellers then stood passively behind the counter with their arms raised in the surrender position. On his way out of the bank, the offender leaned forward over the counter and shot Mr Vaughan in the head. Mr Vaughan died within hours from the gun shot wound. The offender was subsequently convicted of the murder of Mr Vaughan.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy
The 2005 New Zealand election funding controversy occurred in the aftermath of the 2005 New Zealand general election.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy
Under New Zealand's political system, parties may only spend, during the 90 days before the election, up to a certain amount on campaigning (excluding broadcasting). They must raise that money from their own sources. Other funds are available through The Parliamentary Service to Members of Parliament for "parliamentary purposes", which may include advertising but not "electioneering material". Following the 2005 election, there was widespread debate as most parties had breached either election or parliamentary spending rules in some respect.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Election spending allegations, Labour
Labour and five other political parties were investigated for alleged breaches of election spending rules relating to the 2005 election. The Electoral Commission, the independent body charged with supervising compliance with campaign rules, referred the Labour Party to the police after finding that they had overspent by over $400,000. Labour's election campaign included the production, using Parliamentary Service funds, of a "pledge card". The party had wanted to exclude the $446,000 it spent on the pledge cards from its campaign expenses, but the Electoral Commission ruled the pledge cards should be included.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Election spending allegations, Labour
The police found that "there was insufficient evidence to indicate that an offence under s214b of the Electoral Act had been committed." While police considered "there was sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case" of an offence under section 221 of the act (which requires a party secretary to authorise party advertising in writing), they decided not to lay a prosecution, preferring instead to warn Labour that similar future offences would risk prosecution, because it was not clear that the offence was intentional. They said a number of other parties had also used similar tactics and it would have been unfair to single Labour out.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Election spending allegations, National
National was left owing a number of broadcasters $112,500 after spending its broadcasting allowance without accounting for GST. National argued that "due to a misunderstanding between the Party and its advertising booking agency, the agency booked advertising for National on radio and television for the campaign totalling $900,000 excluding GST, instead of $900,000 including GST". Police were not able to attribute responsibility for the mistaken GST over-expenditure to either the NZ National Party or to the Party's media buying agency and did not charge either.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Election spending allegations, National
Labour criticised the use by the National Party of trust funds to facilitate large anonymous donations, alleging American multi-millionaire Julian Robertson as a contributor. Robertson, a friend of National leader Don Brash, had connections to the Republican Party in the US. However, National Party campaign manager Steven Joyce stated, "It is possible that [Mr Robertson] made an anonymous donation. It is also possible that he may have given to one of the trusts that periodically makes donations to us but again I have no knowledge of that. They don't tell me who gives the money so I don't know." Spending outside of campaign funding limits is permitted up to three months before election date.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Election spending allegations, National
Labour also criticised Brash's use of the parliamentary leader's fund (also supplied through Parliamentary Services) to pay for his advisor, Bryan Sinclair, alleging he was an election strategist.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Auditor-General report
The Auditor-General investigated publicly funded party advertising for the 2005 election, with a preliminary finding that much of the spending was unlawful being leaked. A final report was released on 12 October 2006. It found that $1.17 million had been improperly spent, as follows:


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Auditor-General report
After a draft of the Auditor-General's report was leaked, the National Party repaid the amount that the report said was spent by it unlawfully. Labour strategist Pete Hodgson said on 13 September 2006 that his party would not be repaying any money, and the Government might introduce legislation to legalise the spending.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Auditor-General report
The Speaker of the House, who has responsibility for the Parliamentary Service, sought a legal opinion in response to the Auditor General's report. While she did not agree with the legal analysis of the Auditor General, the Speaker, Margaret Wilson, recommended that legislation be passed to retrospectively validate expenditure, that parties should pay back their overspending, not as a legal obligation, but in order to maintain the confidence of the public, that the administrative processes of Parliamentary Services should be reviewed, and that legislation be developed to clarify the law on expenditure.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Auditor-General report
The Labour Party announced immediately after the report was published that it would repay the money it owed. Helen Clark said "Labour strongly maintains that it spent its parliamentary budget within the rules as they were understood at the time, and in the same way as other parties have over a long period of time. Given the Auditor-General’s new ruling, however, Labour will refund the spending identified".


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Minor parties
The Progressive Party was the only party found by the Auditor General not to have misspent parliamentary funding. All the other parties except New Zealand First repaid their misspent funding.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Minor parties
The Māori Party stated in September 2006 that during the election campaign an anonymous donor offered them $250,000 on the condition that they backed a Labour-led government after the election. The offer was not accepted. Labour denied any knowledge of the offer, and both Labour and National suggested holding an inquiry into the offer. A spokesman for the Electoral Commission said the offer did not break any provisions of the Electoral Act, but Auckland University law professor Bill Hodge considered that it may fall within the Crimes Act definition of bribery and corruption.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Third party campaigning
Shortly before the 2005 election, anti-Labour and anti-Greens pamphlets were distributed to a large number of New Zealand mailboxes. Unlike party advertising, the pamphlets' origins were not made explicit. In particular they criticised Green party policy, claiming that the Greens' policies were "reminiscent…of communists" and the Greens planned to "disarm our forces", terms which the Greens considered to be outright lies - inflammatory and misleading, as was much of the content of the pamphlet. Immediately after the election, the Greens stated that the "... pamphlet drop probably cost the party a seat", and perhaps enough to have governed alone with Labour.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Third party campaigning
The pamphlets were released with minimal information as to who had funded them, with only the names and PO Box addresses of individuals. Former members of the Exclusive Brethren Church recognised those names and informed the Green Party and the media of their links with the Brethren Church, which had been involved in a similar campaign in Australia.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Third party campaigning
The National party and its leader Don Brash initially denied knowing about the pamphlets, but Brash later admitted that he had met with the Brethren three or four times during the campaign, where he was told "they planned to run some advertisements in the media, particularly around defence and health policies". Brash asserts that he and his staff advised the Brethren to check the legality of their advertising and that National had no control over its content. Brash also says that he did not recall their intention to issue anti-Green pamphlets.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Third party campaigning
Brash and other National supporters noted that unions have funded third party advertising in support of Labour, and argued that the Brethren pamphlets were equivalent. Labour Party strategist Pete Hodgson responded that advertising paid for by unions was declared within Labour's budget and explicit about who had funded and approved it.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Third party campaigning
University of Otago electoral law expert Andrew Geddis' opinion was that National probably did not break the law, but that the party's actions "stank" and that the electoral system was like "panel beaters designing intersections".


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Third party campaigning
In addition to the pamphlets, the Brethren assisted the National Party through help with man-power, rather than direct donations. The group had collected a "war-chest" of $1,200,000, though there is no evidence they spent anywhere near this much during the election campaign. The Exclusive Brethren Church members had originally intended to openly support National but modified the pamphlets to an invitation to "Change the Government" after consulting with the Chief Electoral Officer and being informed that otherwise this would count towards National's spending. The issue of Exclusive Brethren involvement led to Labour calls for compulsory disclosure of large donations to political parties within altered campaign finance legislation.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Third party campaigning
Activist Nicky Hager felt there were clear distinctions on the legal advertisings of the Unions and what he alleged as obvious violations of the election act section 221 by not only the Exclusive Brethren with full knowledge of members of the National party (The Hollow Men: A Study in the Politics of Deception p238), but also third party spending by several other groups including the Horse Racing Lobby. Hager adds rhetorically, "Why was this not picked up by Auditor-General Kevin Brady…?" (The Hollow Men: A Study in the Politics of Deception p240)


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Darnton's lawsuit
On 29 June 2006, Bernard Darnton, leader of the Libertarianz, sued Helen Clark for allegedly misappropriating public funds to pay for her "pledge cards" during the 2005 election. Some commentators labelled the lawsuit a stunt, although it received media coverage as concern about the "pledge card" funding grew. The Auditor-General and Solicitor-General both stated, in the Auditor-General's report to Parliament, their opinion that the pledge card expenditure was a breach of the Public Finance Act. Following the passage of the Labour Party's validating retrospective legislation on 18 October 2006, Darnton's lawsuit became defunct as the courts would rely on the retrospective provisions of the legislation.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Corruption claims
Based on the draft Auditor General's report, the National Party accused Labour of corruption, with Don Brash claiming that "Helen Clark's Labour Government is quite simply the most corrupt government in New Zealand history." He later amended that to "most corrupt in the last 100 years". The claim was made on the basis of deliberate over-spending under the Electoral Act being a "corrupt practice". Parliamentary debate rapidly deteriorated into shouting matches, with minor parties threatening a walk-out.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Corruption claims
ACT New Zealand leader Rodney Hide disagreed with the term "corruption" being applied to the spending. "The AG's report doesn't show corruption. If it did National would be corrupt too. They were found to have misspent 10k. They would be corrupt too—just not as successful! I could see it was going to get ugly once the Nats went down the tactic of consistently labelling Labour corrupt… I disagree with everything that Labour does—but they are not corrupt. Devious and cunning, yes. Not corrupt."


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Sleaze allegations
In response to National calling Labour "corrupt", Labour ministers Trevor Mallard and David Benson-Pope made reference during Question Time to allegations Don Brash was having an affair with Business Roundtable vice chairwoman Diane Foreman. Rumours to that effect had been circulating for some time, however the allegations were not published by the media until National MP Brian Connell raised them in caucus and the ensuing debate was leaked to the media. The Independent Financial Review first published the allegations.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Sleaze allegations
Investigate magazine then published a photograph with commentary implying that Clark's husband Peter Davis was gay. Other mainstream media outlets quickly republished the rumour. Clark and Davis emphatically denied the allegation. Campaigner Chuck Bird said he provided the photo to Investigate in protest against Labour's election spending.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Sleaze allegations
Soon after, and within a day of saying that personal abuse had no place in NZ politics, Clark described Don Brash, leader of the opposition, as a "cancerous" and "corrosive" presence in national affairs, a statement for which she was later criticised. In an interview the following day she gave the example of a cartoon on the Young Nationals' website which had been there since before the election campaign, and indeed before Brash's leadership of the Party, depicting her as Star Wars villain Darth Vader telling Luke Skywalker she is his "lesbian father". Brash subsequently requested the image be taken down.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Sleaze allegations
Told that the National Party had expressed sympathy for her, Ms Clark replied:"I have very, very prominent friends in New Zealand life who have rung me… saying they were simply amazed at the sort of people, seemingly reputable citizens, who were prepared to pass on baseless lies as if they were factual."


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Sleaze allegations
Clark also claimed that the Exclusive Brethren had hired a private detective to follow Mr Davis and herself. Within a week, private detective Wayne Idour admitted being hired by the sect "to dig dirt" on Labour MPs and described some of the things he had found out as "alarming". He told the media that he would make these "alarming" discoveries public within a week. Nothing appeared.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, The Hollow Men
Nicky Hager published The Hollow Men: A Study in the Politics of Deception in November 2006 after an interim injunction against the publication of Brash's private email correspondence was lifted at the request of Dr Brash's lawyer. Hager claims that the National Party spent millions of dollars in its election campaign without breaching the legal spending cap. He points to several possible breaches of the election law by National, and asserts that the scope of the Auditor General's inquiry was "very limited" and did not include illegal third party advertising.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, The Hollow Men
According to Hager, evidence from undisclosed sources and the leaked e-mails point to a breach of section 221 of the Electoral Act. He further asserts that the book "Postcard From Home", Brash’s biography, was called a "significant marketing tool" by Brash, and that the National-produced "Fairtax postcards" were "exactly the same expense as Labour’s pledge card".


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, The Hollow Men
In addition, Hager disclosed a letter from the Exclusive brethren to Don Brash and John Key (later head of the National Party) stating that "We are working on 'our/your' campaign full-time" written in May 2005, four months before the election. According to the Sunday Star Times, this and other documents "confirm, that months before the election campaign, that National Party MPs and staff... were fully aware of the Exclusive Brethren advertising campaign and that at least some MPs had seen the draft publications".


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, The Hollow Men
The sources and alleged breaches by National in Hager's book remain controversial and have sparked a debate regarding the invasion of privacy versus the public interest. On 27 November 2006, the Greens called for further investigation.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Don Brash resigns
On 12 December 2006, Don Brash resigned from the leadership of the National Party and subsequently retired from Parliament; the leadership of the party passed to John Key. Speculation exists that Don Brash resigned due to the allegations in Nicky Hager's book. However, Brash has said that the book was "not a factor" in his resignation.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Public response
Most political commentators believe that Helen Clark misjudged the public mood on the alleged spending, calling it "a beltway issue" - that is, of interest only to those who are involved the political process and not of interest to ordinary voters. A TVNZ opinion poll showed a 13% lead to National during the fallout, but other polls showed Labour and National neck and neck. A TV 3 poll around the same time showed Labour ahead on 4 November 2006. Labour’s rating remained within 2 points consistently during the debate. For the first time, some media reported dissatisfaction with Helen Clark's leadership amongst the Labour Party Caucus. Clark continued to lead the party until after their electoral defeat in the 2008 election.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Public response
Dominion Post commentator Chris Trotter wrote in the 20-Oct-06 Dominion Post that "Solicitor General Terence Arnold QC's "expansive" interpretation of the Parliamentary Services Act betrayed a woeful lack of knowledge about the way our political system operates", and continued:


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Public response
His opinion characterised parliamentarians as glorified civil servants subject to executive oversight and prohibited from spending public funds on any form of political advocacy (which he appeared to regard as a private activity). In his version of parliamentary democracy, political parties are viewed as entities extraneous to Parliament and play no role in the day to day operations of government. Mr Brady went on to compound the anti democratic, effect of the solicitor general's opinion by confining his investigation into "unlawful" parliamentary expenditure to election advertising. It was this decision, another "cock up", which allowed the Opposition to set in motion a major political conspiracy... The auditor general's office and the news media had both become important adjuncts to the Opposition's campaign to destroy Labour's political reputation.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Political response, Public response
As officers of Parliament, the capacity of the Auditor-General and Solicitor-General to respond to criticism is limited. However, Jim Evans, Emeritus Professor of Law at Auckland University, responded to the critics of the Auditor-General's report on a blog saying that "various attempts [have] been made in recent weeks to obfuscate the issues surrounding the Auditor-General's report on advertising expenditure by political parties in the three months before the last general election".


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Overhaul of election funding laws
The government announced that, in light of the funding problems, they would look into changing the Electoral Act 1993 surrounding election funding. Following the release of the Auditor-General's report, the Appropriation (Parliamentary Expenditure Validation) Bill was moved through Parliament in two days under urgency, being passed on 18 October 2006.


2005 New Zealand election funding controversy, Overhaul of election funding laws
Later, the Government introduced the Electoral Finance Bill to reform electoral finance laws.


2005 New Zealand general election
The 2005 New Zealand general election on Saturday 17 September 2005 determined the membership of the 48th New Zealand Parliament. One hundred and twenty-one MPs were elected to the New Zealand House of Representatives: 69 from single-member electorates, including one overhang seat, and 52 from party lists (one extra due to the overhang).


2005 New Zealand general election
No party won a majority, but the Labour Party of Prime Minister Helen Clark secured two more seats than nearest rival, the National Party of Dr Don Brash. With the exception of the newly formed Māori Party, which took four Māori electorates from Labour, most of the other parties polled lower than in the previous election, losing votes and seats.


2005 New Zealand general election
Brash deferred conceding defeat until 1 October, when National's election-night 49 seats fell to 48 after special votes were counted. The official count increased the Māori Party share of the party vote above 2%, entitling them to three rather than two seats from the party vote. With four electorate seats, the election night overhang of two seats was reduced to one, and as National had the 120th seat allocated under the party vote, National lost one list seat (that of Katrina Shanks) that they appeared to have won on election night.


2005 New Zealand general election
The election was a strong recovery for National which won 21 more seats than at the 2002 election, where it suffered its worst result in its history, and the highest party vote percentage for the party since 1990. Despite its resurgence, National failed to displace Labour as the largest party in Parliament. National's gains apparently came mainly at the expense of smaller parties, while Labour won only two seats less than in 2002.


2005 New Zealand general election
On 17 October, Clark announced a new coalition agreement that saw the return of her minority government coalition with the Progressive Party, with confidence and supply support from New Zealand First and from United Future. New Zealand First parliamentary leader Winston Peters and United Future parliamentary leader Peter Dunne became ministers of the Crown outside Cabinet, Peters as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Dunne as Minister of Revenue. The Green Party which had supported Labour before the election received no cabinet post (see below), but gained several concessions from the coalition on matters such as energy and transport, and agreed to support the government on matters of confidence and supply.


2005 New Zealand general election, The election
The total votes cast in 2005 was 2,304,005 (2,164,595 & 139,510 Māori). Turnout was 80.92% of those on the rolls, or 77.05% of voting age population. Turnout was higher than in the previous 2002 election (72.5% and 76.98% respectively), and the Māori roll turnout at 67.07% was significantly higher than 2002 (57.5%).


2005 New Zealand general election, The election
In the election 739 candidates stood, and there were 19 registered parties with party lists. Of the candidates, 525 were electorate and list, 72 were electorate only and 142 were list only. All but 37 represented registered parties (on the list or in the electorate or both). Only 35 candidates from registered parties chose to stand as an electorate candidate only. 71% of candidates (523) were male and 29% (216) female; the same percentages as in 2002.


2005 New Zealand general election, The election
Labour had achieved a third term in office for the first time since 1943.


2005 New Zealand general election, The election, MPs retiring in 2005
Eight MPs intended to retire at the end of the 47th Parliament.


2005 New Zealand general election, Detailed results, Parliamentary parties
The results of the election give a Gallagher index of disproportionality of 1.11.


2005 New Zealand general election, Detailed results, Electorate results
The table below shows the results of the 2005 general election:


2005 New Zealand general election, Detailed results, List results
MPs returned via party lists, and unsuccessful candidates, were as follows:


2005 New Zealand general election, Changes during parliamentary term
1 Rod Donald died before being sworn in as MP. 2 Brian Donnelly was appointed as New Zealand's High Commissioner to the Cook Islands. 3 Brian Connell retired from Parliament effective 31 August 2008, leaving his seat of Rakaia vacant.


2005 New Zealand general election, Changes during parliamentary term
Taito Phillip Field, Labour MP for Māngere, quit the Labour party after being threatened with expulsion on 16 February 2007. He continued to serve as an MP, and formed the New Zealand Pacific Party in January 2008.


2005 New Zealand general election, Changes during parliamentary term
Gordon Copeland, a United Future list MP, left the party to become an independent MP in May 2007, and contested the 2008 election as a candidate for The Kiwi Party.


2005 New Zealand general election, Analysis of results
Going into the election, Labour had assurances of support from the Greens (six seats in 2005, down three from 2002) and from the Progressives (one seat, down one). This three-party bloc won 57 seats, leaving Clark four seats short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 121-seat Parliament (decreased from the expected 122 because the final results gave the Māori Party only one overhang seat, after it appeared to win two overhang seats on election night). On 5 October the Māori Party began a series of hui to decide whom to support.


2005 New Zealand general election, Analysis of results
That same day  emerged that a meeting between Helen Clark and Māori co-leader Tariana Turia on 3 October had already ruled out a formal coalition between Labour and the Māori Party. Māori Party representatives also held discussions with National representatives, but most New Zealanders thought the Māori Party more likely to give confidence-supply support to a Labour-dominated government because its supporters apparently heavily backed Labour in the party vote.


2005 New Zealand general election, Analysis of results
Had Turia and her co-leader Pita Sharples opted to join a Labour-Progressive-Green coalition, Clark would have had sufficient support to govern with support from a grouping of four parties (Labour, Green, Māori and Progressive). Without the Māori Party, Labour needed the support of New Zealand First (seven seats, down six) and United Future (three seats, down five) to form a government. New Zealand First said it would support (or at least abstain from opposing in confidence-motions) the party with the most seats. Clark sought from New Zealand First a positive commitment rather than abstention.


2005 New Zealand general election, Analysis of results
United Future, which had supported the previous Labour-Progressive minority government in confidence and supply, said it would talk first to the party with the most seats about support or coalition. Both New Zealand First and United Future said they would not support a Labour-led coalition which included Greens in Cabinet posts. However, United Future indicated it could support a government where the Greens gave supply-and-confidence votes.


2005 New Zealand general election, Analysis of results
Brash had only one possible scenario to become Prime Minister: a centre-right coalition with United Future and ACT (two seats, down seven). Given the election results, however, such a coalition would have required the confidence-and-supply votes of both New Zealand First and the Māori Party. This appeared highly unlikely on several counts. New Zealand First's involvement in such a coalition would have run counter to Peters' promise to deal with the biggest party, and Turia and Sharples would have had difficulty in justifying supporting National after their supporters' overwhelming support for Labour in the party vote.


2005 New Zealand general election, Analysis of results
Turia and Sharples probably remembered the severe mauling New Zealand First suffered in the 1999 election. (Many of its supporters in 1996 believed they had voted to get rid of National, only to have Peters go into coalition with National; New Zealand First has never really recovered.) Even without this to consider, National had indicated it would abolish the Maori seats if it won power.


2005 New Zealand general election, Analysis of results
The new government as eventually formed consisted of Labour and Progressive in coalition, while New Zealand First and United Future entered agreements of support on confidence and supply motions. In an unprecedented move, Peters and Dunne became Foreign Affairs Minister and Revenue Minister, respectively, but remained outside cabinet and had no obligatory cabinet collective responsibility on votes outside their respective portfolios.


2005 New Zealand general election, Background
The governing Labour Party retained office at 2002 election. However, its junior coalition partner, the Alliance, lost most of its support after internal conflict and disagreement and failed to win parliamentary representation. Labour formed a coalition with the new Progressive Coalition, formed by former Alliance leader Jim Anderton. The Labour-Progressive coalition then obtained an agreement of support ("confidence and supply") from United Future, enabling it to form a stable minority government. The National Party, Labour's main opponents, suffered a major defeat, winning only 21% of the vote (22.5% of the seats).


2005 New Zealand general election, Background
The collapse of National's vote led ultimately to the replacement of its Parliamentary party leader Bill English with parliamentary newcomer Don Brash on 28 October 2003. Brash began an aggressive campaign against the Labour-dominated government. A major boost to this campaign came with his "Orewa speech" (27 January 2004), in which he attacked the Labour-dominated government for giving "special treatment" to the Māori population, particularly over the foreshore and seabed controversy. This resulted in a surge of support for the National Party, although most polls indicated that this subsequently subsided. National also announced it would not stand candidates in the Māori electorates, with some smaller parties following suit.


2005 New Zealand general election, Background
The foreshore-and-seabed controversy also resulted in the establishment of the Māori Party in July 2004. The Māori Party hoped to break Labour's traditional (and then current) dominance in the Māori electorates, just as New Zealand First had done in the 1996 election.


2005 New Zealand general election, Background
A large number of so-called "minor" parties also contested the election. These included Destiny New Zealand (the political branch of the Destiny Church) and the Direct Democracy Party.


2005 New Zealand general election, Polls
A series of opinion polls published in June 2005 indicated that the National Party had moved ahead of Labour for the first time since June 2004. Commentators speculated that a prominent billboard campaign may have contributed to this. Some said the National Party had peaked too early. The polls released throughout July showed once more an upward trend for Labour, with Labour polling about 6% above National. The release by the National Party of a series of tax-reform proposals in August 2005 appeared to correlate with an increase in its ratings in the polls.


2005 New Zealand general election, Polls
Direct comparisons between the following polls have no statistical validity:


2005 New Zealand general election, Polls
No single political event can explain the significant differences between most of these polls over the period between them. They show either volatility in the electorate and/or flaws in the methods of polling. In the later polls, the issue of National's knowledge of a series of pamphlets (distributed by members of the Exclusive Brethren and attacking the Green and Labour parties) appeared not to have reduced National Party support.


2005 New Zealand general election, Voting
Postal voting for New Zealanders abroad began on 31 August. Ballot voting took place on Saturday 17 September, from 9 am to 7 pm. The Chief Electoral Office released a provisional result at 12:05 am on 18 September.


2005 New Zealand general election, Party funding
New Zealand operates on a system whereby the  allocates funding for advertising on television and on radio. Parties must use their own money for all other forms of advertising, but may not use any of their own money for television or radio advertising.


2005 New Zealand general election, Controversies
Police investigated six political parties for alleged breaches of election-spending rules relating to the 2005 election, but brought no prosecutions,determining that "there was insufficient evidence to indicate that an offence under s214b of the Electoral Act had been committed."


2005 New Zealand general election, Controversies
The Auditor-General has also investigated publicly funded party-advertising for the 2005 election, with a leaked preliminary finding of much of the spending as unlawful. Observers expected the release of a final report in October 2006.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season
The 2005 New Zealand rugby league season was the 98th season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand. The main feature of the year was the sixth season of the Bartercard Cup competition that was run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Mt Albert Lions won the Cup by defeating the Canterbury Bulls 24-22 in the Grand Final.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
The New Zealand national rugby league team played Australia at Auckland's Ericsson Stadium as part of the Tri-Nations. New Zealand lost this match 26-28 but went on to win the tournament, defeating Australia 24-0 in the final at Elland Road. Earlier in the year New Zealand had lost the ANZAC Test, 16-32.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
Coached by Brian McClennan, for the Tri-Nations New Zealand included; Louis Anderson, Roy Asotasi, Nathan Cayless, David Faiumu, Awen Guttenbeil, Shontayne Hape, Lance Hohaia, Stacey Jones, David Kidwell, Ali Lauiti'iti, Iafeta Paleaaesina, Frank Pritchard, Tony Puletua, Paul Rauhihi, David Solomona, Motu Tony, Clinton Toopi, Nigel Vagana, Manu Vatuvei, Brent Webb, Jake Webster, Paul Whatuira, Bronson Harrison and captain Ruben Wiki. Jerome Ropati, Matt Utai, Benji Marshall, Thomas Leuluai, Wairangi Koopu, Dene Halatau and Jamahl Lolesi played in the ANZAC Test but did not tour. Daniel Anderson coached the Kiwis in the ANZAC Test before resigning in June and being replaced by McClennan.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
In February a New Zealand Residents team competed in the St Marys Invitational Sevens tournament in Sydney. The Team included Paul Atkins and Charlie Herekotukutuku A full Residents team then played against a New South Wales Country side and a Jim Beam Cup selection in October. The team was coached by Phil Prescott and included Shane Beyers and Corey Lawrie.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
The New Zealand Māori side hosted the Cook Islands in October, the three match series was drawn 1-all and broadcast live on Māori Television. The New Zealand Māori were coached by Tawera Nikau while Kevin Iro coached the Cook Islands. The New Zealand Māori included Weller Hauraki, Kaine Manihera, Herewini Rangi and Aaron Heremaia while Cook Islands team included George Tuakura and Marty Mitchell.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, International competitions
New Zealand hosted the 2005 Women's Rugby League World Cup. The Kiwi Ferns won the tournament, defeating the New Zealand Māori side in the final.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup
The 2005 Bartercard Cup was the sixth season of the Bartercard Cup competition run by the New Zealand Rugby League. The Mount Albert Lions claimed their third and final premiership, as in 2006 they were replaced by the Auckland Lions.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, National competitions, Bartercard Cup, The Playoffs
The Canterbury Bulls lost the grand final when Fabian Soutar scored for Mt Albert in the last second of the match.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, Australian competitions
The New Zealand Warriors competed in the National Rugby League competition. They finished 11th out of 15 teams and failed to make the playoffs.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Auckland
The Manurewa Marlins won the Fox Memorial trophy while the Papakura Sea Eagles won the Rukutai Shield (minor premiership). Manurewa, who were coached by Rusty Matua and player-coach Richie Blackmore won the Grand Final 34-24 over Papakura.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Wellington
Petone play North City at Rugby League Park in the Wellington Rugby League grand final. As of 2011, this is the last major game of rugby league to be played at the venue.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Other Competitions
Turangawaewae defeated Taniwharau to win the Waicoa Bay grand final.


2005 New Zealand rugby league season, Club competitions, Other Competitions
2005 was the first year of the Eastern Alliance club rugby league competition, which involved clubs from the Hawke's Bay Rugby League and Gisborne Tairawhiti Rugby League.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland
The 2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland was a Grand Slam rugby union tour played by the New Zealand national rugby union team, also known as the All Blacks, in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland against their respective national teams. Played through November, it consisted of 4 matches against Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland
It was the first Grand Slam Tour by the All Blacks since the 18 match Grand Slam tour of 1978.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland
New Zealand won all matches with a touring squad of 35 players selected by Head Coach Graham Henry. The first against Wales on 5 November, then against Ireland on 12 November, England on 19 November and finally Scotland on 26 November to complete the first successful Grand Slam tour of the professional era. The last successful Grand Slam was by Australia in 1984 in between 14 other matches.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Touring squad
A total of 35 players were selected for the touring squad: five props, three hookers, four locks, seven loose forwards, three halfbacks, seven midfielders and six back three-quarters, including five new caps. Graham Henry was Head Coach with Wayne Smith and Steve Hansen as his Assistant Coaches. Tana Umaga was named captain for the tour.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Touring squad
– Squad only include players who have been named in a starting 15 or reserves bench.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Tests
A total of four matches were played during the 2005 Grand Slam tour against the four home unions of Wales, Ireland, England and Scotland. The tour was played over four weeks, with one game each week.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Tests, Wales
Wales were looking to beat the All Blacks for the first time since 1953, when they won 13–8 at Cardiff Arms Park. They came into the match and tour as the most recent Six Nations champions and the last of the Home Nations to agree to play the All Blacks on the 2005 tour. New Zealand came in after a successful British & Irish Lions tour and another Tri Nations win.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Tests, Wales
The All Black coaching staff named three debutants for the first test in Cardiff: Neemia Tialata and Chris Masoe were chosen ahead of regular starters Tony Woodcock and Richie McCaw, while Angus MacDonald came on for James Ryan for his first international.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Tests, Wales, Match summary
The All Blacks started off their tour with a comfortable 41–3 victory over Wales in Cardiff on 5 November, the 100th anniversary of rugby between the two teams. Dan Carter was the standout player for New Zealand, scoring 26 points including two of the five tries by the visitors; Rico Gear benefited from some nice play by his inside backs as he scored the other three tries for his team. Wales had to swallow another loss to the All Blacks, having to wait another year until they could break their losing streak against them which dates back to 1953 when they won 13 points to 8.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Tests, Wales, Match summary
Both sides started the game a bit rusty but the All Blacks quickly took control of the ball and position on the field, starving the Welsh team of any chance at attack.


2005 New Zealand rugby union tour of Britain and Ireland, Tests, Wales, Match summary
New Zealand struck first with an early penalty before Byron Kelleher bombed the first chance for a try in the 16th minute of play. The eager halfback took a quick tap at halfway, spotted a gap and ran 45 metres before getting tackled downfield. He failed to offload to an open Tana Umaga on his shoulder and a penalty from the ensuing maul would have to suffice. Carter converted to be two from two and put the All Blacks out in front 6–0.