The third season of New Zealand Idol commenced in July 2006. The judges were Iain Stables, Megan Alatini and Frankie Stevens.

The auditions were held at the following locations:

• Telstraclear Pacific Events Centre, Manukau
• Westpac Stadium, Wellington
• Addington Raceway, Addington, Christchurch

Those who were successful would proceed to the "Top 60" theatre rounds held at Sky City in Auckland.

The successful contestants who made it through to the "Top 60" rounds would spend three days of audition rounds at the Sky City theatre.

• Round One (Day 2): Contestants, in groups of six, were to sing in turn, a cappella, a song of their own choice. This year, the entire 58 contestants would sing before the judges decided on which 22 people would be eliminated.
• Round Two (Day 2): In a diversion away from the regular group rounds, 18 of the 37 remaining contestants would pair up for duet performances of the Elton John and Kiki Dee classic "Don't Go Breaking My Heart". Those remaining paired up to sing Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning", including a group of 3 due to the uneven numbers. At the end of this, 10 contestants were sent home.
• Round Three (Day 3): After the previous rounds, the remaining 27 contestants would have their last opportunity to impress the judges. Unlike previous years, each of the contestants were restricted to a choice of one of six songs, to perform in front of the judges and the remaining contestants, although they were accompanied by music.

Following the final round, all remaining 27 were called on stage, to be told which nine were going home. After most of the contestants were either eliminated or told they were through, the remaining five – Toni, Lenken, Birgette, Ben and Emilie, were lastly given one more chance to sing for the 4 places left in the Top 18. The last contestant to be eliminated was Birgette, aged 21 from the Te Atatū area of West Auckland.

Eliminated: Naomi, Darren, Liana, Davinia, Tiresa, Vicki, Beau, Te Rau, Birgette

Advancing to the Top 10: Kali Kopae, Ashlee Fisher and Clinton Randell
Wildcard Contender: Lenken Isaac

Advancing to the Top 10: Indira Moala, Victor Sulfa & Toni Baird
Wildcard Contenders: Wiremu Hohaia

Advancing to the Top 10: Matt Saunoa, Aroha Robinson and Rebecca Wright
Wildcard Contender: Ben Hazlewood

• Ben Hazelwood – "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects
• Wiremu Hohaia – "Oughta Be in Love" by Dave Dobbyn
• Lenken Isaac – "Brand New Jones" by Robin Thicke

Advancing to the Top 10: Ben Hazelwood

Matt Saunoa (aged 21, from Levin) was the winner of the third series of "New Zealand Idol".

Audition: "My Girl" by The Temptations

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3): "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia

Top 18: "To Love Somebody" by the Bee Gees

Top 10: "Living for the City" by Stevie Wonder

Top 9: "I Don't Want to Be" by Gavin DeGraw

Top 8: "Amazed" by Lonestar

Top 7: "Something About the Way You Look Tonight" by Elton John

Top 6: Try a Little Tenderness" by Otis Redding / The Commitments

Top 5: "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley

Top 4: "Sitting Inside My Head" by Supergroove, "Welcome Home" by Dave Dobbyn

Top 3: "Let's Get It On" by Marvin Gaye, "Forever Now" by Cold Chisel

Top 2: "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart" by Bee Gees, "This Love" by Maroon 5,

The Final Showdown: "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley, "Every Breath You Take" by The Police, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith, "Living for the City" by Stevie Wonder

Indira Moala (aged 21, from Glen Eden, Auckland), was runner-up to winner Matt Saunoa.

Audition: "Ordinary People" by John Legend

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3): "I Say A Little Prayer" by Burt Bacharach

Top 18: "Love Will Lead You Back" by Taylor Dayne

Top 10: "Think" by Aretha Franklin

Top 9: "You Oughta Know" by Alanis Morissette

Top 8: "Heartache Tonight" by Eagles

Top 7: "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" by Elton John

Top 6: "I'm Outta Love" by Anastacia

Top 5: "Hit Me, Baby, One More Time" by Britney Spears

Top 4: "Down Time" by Aaradhna, "Better Be Home Soon" by Crowded House

Top 3: "I Have Nothing" by Whitney Houston, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston

Top 2: "Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera, "Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves" by The Eurythmics & Aretha Franklin

The Final Showdown: "Hit Me, Baby, One More Time" by Britney Spears, "The Way You Make Me Feel" by Michael Jackson, "Open Arms" by Journey / Mariah Carey, "Think" by Aretha Franklin

Aroha Robinson (aged 18, from Mt Maunganui, Bay of Plenty), came third.

Audition:

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 18: "I'll Be There" by The Jackson 5

Top 10: "River Deep - Mountain High" by Ike & Tina Turner

Top 9: "Purple Rain" by Prince

Top 8: "From This Moment On" by Shania Twain

Top 7: "Circle of Life" by Elton John

Top 6: "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" by Whitney Houston

Top 5: "That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain

Top 4: "Watchin' U" by Ardijah, "Lifeline" by Brooke Fraser

Top 3: "Dance with My Father" by Luther Vandross, "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green

Ben Hazlewood (aged 17, from Papakowhai, Wellington), was placed fourth.

Audition: "Fall at Your Feet" by Crowded House

Theatre Week (Round 1): "Sugar, We're Goin Down" by Fall Out Boy

Theatre Week (Round 3): "If You're Not the One" by Daniel Bedingfield

Top 18: "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects

Wildcard: "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects

Top 10: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by The Temptations

Top 9: "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones

Top 8: "Take It Easy" by The Eagles

Top 7: "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting" by Elton John

Top 6: "Like I Love You" by Justin Timberlake

Top 5: "For You I Will" by Teddy Geiger

Top 4: "Fall at Your Feet" by Crowded House, "Running" by Evermore

Kali Kopae (aged 21, from Christchurch), finished in fifth place.

Audition: "When I Fall in Love" by Nat King Cole

Theatre Week (Round 1): "Summertime" by Ella Fitzgerald

Theatre Week (Round 3):

Top 18: "Imagine" by John Lennon

Top 10: "Proud Mary" by Creedence Clearwater Revival / Tina Turner

Top 9: "Violent" by Stellar*

Top 8: "This One's for the Girls" by Martina McBride

Top 7: "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues" by Elton John

Top 6: "Sway" by Michael Bublé

Top 5: "Soak Up the Sun" by Sheryl Crow

Toni Baird (aged 29, from Upper Hutt), was placed sixth.

Audition: "Stop!" by Sam Brown

Theatre Week (Round 1): "Black Velvet" by Alannah Myles

Theatre Week (Round 3): "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia, "Stop!" by Sam Brown

Top 18: "Bathe in the River" by Hollie Smith

Top 10: "When Something Is Wrong with My Baby" by Sam & Dave / Jimmy Barnes

Top 9: "Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks

Top 8: "Jolene" by Dolly Parton

Top 7: "Your Song" by Elton John

Top 6: "Sweet Child o' Mine" by Guns N' Roses

Rebecca Wright (aged 24, from Mt Albert, Auckland), finished in seventh place.

Audition: "Because of You" by Kelly Clarkson

Theatre Week (Round 1): "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" by KT Tunstall

Theatre Week (Round 3): "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia

Top 18: "Yesterday" by The Beatles

Top 10: "Lady Marmalade" by Labelle

Top 9: "Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin

Top 8: "How Do I Live" by LeAnn Rimes

Top 7: "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John

Clinton Randell (aged 20, from Mt Roskill, Auckland), placed eighth. He hosted The Edge Breakfast in the 2010s and 2020s.

Audition: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Judy Garland

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3): "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" by Aerosmith

Top 18: "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" by Elton John

Top 10: "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder

Top 9: "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan

Top 8: "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain

Ashlee Fisher (aged 16, from Hamilton), finished ninth.

Audition: "Hero" by Mariah Carey

Theatre Week (Round 1): "Dance with My Father" by Luther Vandross

Theatre Week (Round 3): "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys

Top 18: "I Turn to You" by Christina Aguilera

Top 10: "Son of a Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield

Top 9: "4ever" by The Veronicas

Victor Sulfa (aged 19, from Papatoetoe, Auckland), was placed tenth.

Audition: "A Song for You" by Leon Russell

Theatre Week (Round 1):

Theatre Week (Round 3): "For Once in My Life" by Stevie Wonder

Top 18: "Can We Talk" by Tevin Campbell

Top 10: "Love Child" by Diana Ross & The Supremes

Group 1: "Kids" by Robbie Williams & Kylie Minogue, "Blame It on the Boogie" by The Jackson 5

Group 2: "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder, "Upside Down" by Diana Ross

Group 3: "You Can't Hurry Love" by The Supremes

The Top 10: "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" by The Four Tops, "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by The Temptations

The Top 9: "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett, "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick

The Top 8: "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd, "The Gambler" by Kenny Rogers

The Top 7: "I'm Still Standing", "Crocodile Rock" by Elton John

The Top 6: "Hey Ya!" by Outkast,

The Top 5: "Reach" by S Club 7, "Keep on Movin'" by Five

The Top 4: "Slice of Heaven" by Dave Dobbyn, "Why Does Love Do This To Me?" The Exponents

The Top 3: "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" by Rita Coolidge, "Faith" by George Michael

The Top 2: "You Give Me Something" by James Morrison

The final was held on 29 October, with the following performances:

• "Indira Moala: "Hold Out" (Winner's single)
• "Indira Moala: "Crazy in Love" by Beyoncé Knowles & Jay-Z
• "Matt Saunoa: "Hold Out" (Winner's single)
• "Matt Saunoa: "When I Get You Alone" by Robin Thicke
• "Top 10 Girls: "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls / Geri Halliwell
• "Top 10 Guys: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye
• "Top 10: "Blame It on the Boogie" by The Jackson 5
• "Top 10: "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" by The Four Tops

• Official New Zealand Idol website