I’m a Matamata girl, well I was born and raised in Walton to be precise, about 10 kms north of Matamata.
The whole Hobbit thing has been great for my home town and I too am an advocate of it continuing to be filmed there. But there are other small people who are endangered in Matamata and I expect they will be asking for tax-payer hand-out to keep their multi-million industry and its associated jobs going.
I’m talking about the racing industry ( although it is of course true that those who work in the industry are not all small).
Thanks to this Government’s economic mismanagement, the racing industry is really struggling. And to make matters worse, the additional funding put in by Labour when Winston Peters was Minister of Racing was stripped away by National this racing season because the country couldn’t afford it.
What a slap in the face to that industry to see that suddenly, the country could afford it when Warner Bros rolled into town.
How come an American corporate entity deserves tax-payer subsidy, but a home-grown industry employing thousands year after year doesn’t?
And are there more deserving cases who could have done with the $33m without selling our independance as a country down the tubes, demanding changes to domestic law without seeking the opinions of New Zealanders via a select committee process?
What part of a $35million investment into this movie doesnt this “Moron” get. Not only are we now assured of a $670m investment IN NEW ZEALAND that WILL PAY THE WAGES AND SALARIES OF NEW ZEALANDERS as well as promote NZ ON EVERY DVD COPY SOLD of these movies. I listened to Sue yesterday in Parliament, and frankly I cringed at every word she uttered. Something about NZ not getting a say in this decision. Well NZ has had their say about how the Labour government worked, and will get another say in 2 years. My bet is that the next political poll will further crush Labour and leave them wondering what the hell they are not getting? Wake up, pull your liberal head out of the sand, and realise that this is a good investment in NZ. And as for the racing industry, how can you even draw a parallel with the film industry? Tell me where the film industry creates social problems through wasteful addiction? You really need to wake up Sue……..
[warning - avoid the petty insults, they're not necessary - chris]
Think about the wider picture. If the Government had not brokered a deal there would be less jobs, a declining film industry in NZ, most probably a move offshore for Weta & Jackson & co and we would not be able to claim NZ as “Middle Earth”. It would lead on to less people seeing NZ on the screens and less tourism.
Wow… nobody would like that would they? There is a price that needs to be paid to secure things and if the Government had not come to a deal, I can guarantee that Labour would throw across lines about National not caring about jobs and the NZ film industry. It is a competitive industry and sometimes you have to pay a price. If the Unions had not started this whole thing there would not have been this debate as Warner Bros. did not have a reason to ask for more, well, make us fight for it.
I wish we could all just get on with it, yes we had to fork out a bit more money but hey..in the scheme of things its a good investment. WIth the LOTR there were over 50million DVDs made, with the Governments deal comes a promotional film of NZ on every DVD, if The Hobbit has the same sort of success this will equate to about $0.26 per DVD. Pretty good I say.
Sue you better hope Winston gets back he seems to hand out money for old nags, Oh Sport of Kings.
@JMH
“profitable as this one…”
Yes, but most of the profit only occurs because of subsides and special tax breaks, second, NZ see very little of that profit.
At least they spending some money here, but do we really have to grovel for it!
@All on the right
Why do you guys support big subsides and tax breaks for Warner yet all of you would denounce subside for let say fonterra!
I can’t just work it out…
Wayno, the real “spend” in NZ is a lot less than 200mil NZ. the 670 includes 40% for P.R, promotion and legal costs (inevitable, just ask Jackson), up to 20% “finders fee” for Warners getting the money together ( Warners don’t make movies, production companies do, WB are another version of SCF or any other finance co, and 10-15% for points in “future” profits ( yeah right? ) paid to principal crew and actors. None of this money gets paid until the box office comes in years from now. That leaves about NZ 170 million, a large portion of which is spent offshore, in Hobble-its case probably 40-50 million, being wages to stars, directors, designers and other crew and ancillary costs. Film finances are essential a huge con. So we are left with about $120 million being spent here of which Key has paid about $75 million, the rest traditionally comes from criminal organisations “washing” money, drugs, guns and diamonds etc. $670 million is ridiculous, you could set up Fonterra for that or build 3 or 4 Sky City’s, use your brains and just do the maths and realise how royally we have been bullshitted.
P.s I bet you can’t name a single person who has ever watched the tail end rubbish at the end of a DVD. And if they have they must be so couch bound that they never travel further than the fridge.