Great piece by Brent Edwards on Morning Report this morning. http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/morningreport (scroll down to ‘Ombudsman backs Government secrecy over Hobbit deal’)
I listened and thought what has the Government got to hide? $30 million of taxpayers’ money and an amendment to our Employment Relations legislation removing basic rights from all workers in the film industry under Urgency and therefore with no public input - surely we have the right to know why?
We have had a lot to say about this issue. Some examples – Darien Fenton’s April 2011 blog http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2011/04/12/hobbit-revisited/; my January 2011 blog http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2011/01/06/honesty-and-the-hobbit//; Trevor Mallard’s December 2010 blog http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2010/12/22/we-believe-in-the-right-to-unionise-some-people-dont/; Sue Moroney’s October 2010 blog http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2010/10/29/whos-next/ and Clare Curran’s October 2010 blog http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2010/10/29/nz-law-brought-to-you-by-warner-bros/because it is an issue of sovereignty as well as an issue of (mis)use of tax payer money and workers rights. Furthermore we are a long way from hearing the full story and there have been so many inconsistencies in what the Government has said throughout this whole sorry saga.
For me the Hobbit saga is a clear example of the moral bankruptcy of John Key’s Government. He still seeks to manipulate the facts as was evidenced by his appalling Budget speech which referred to Labour members as “Hobbit haters”.
There was no removal of rights, the legislation said a contractor is a contractor, and an employee is an employee. It was just confirming that in legislation.
No extra money was given to the big film budget, the types of expenses which gained a GST exemption were just extended.
The uncertainty around keeping the film in NZ was based on a few key militant unionists who preferred to back Australian unionist against the people in the industry.
Labour voted against the film workers in NZ, hence the term “Hobbit Haters” if Labour and the unions supported workers, then they wouldn’t be given that label.
It also effects the video games programming industry….
1) Yep, doubts have been raised about whether the legislation really did anything at all, but we won’t know until a test case is put to the courts.
2) LOL. Ok a $30M ‘tax break’ then. When we have a record deficit. Great move.
3) The e-mails released prove that the union had already backed down but Peter Jackson lied about this repeatedly. The movie was never in any danger of being moved but boy, did we get played.
4) It is very mature of the PM to be calling people ‘Hobbit Haters’ during a budget speech, isn’t it?
@wtl 1) the legislation was about confirming a grey area of law. It was never a significant change….
2) a half billion dollar movie and investment in our tourism industry, yes great move.
3) It was about the potential for the producers to sink 300 million dollars into the economy and for Helen Kelly to get up on a stage have a good cry representing 2% of the workers on the film and holding up production.
4) If Labour voted for the Hobbit rather than for Australian unions then they wouldn’t be Hobbit haters. It’s fair to remind voters that Labour didn’t vote to protect the Hobbit staying in NZ.
When a sovereign country plays sycophantic host to a business that has to speak something of the age that we are in. The decline of the state and the rise of the multinational.
Oliver if the Act under Urgency was passed but there was nothing really to report, and it was just confirming what was already there, and the $30 million was not really a gift, why on earth the secrecy? What is there to hide? And why would they bother to hide that which isn’t an issue, and if so why would you bother to write about a non-issue?
I listened to the morning report item and thought, there must be something to hide in spite of or because of denials.
- The Hobbit
- South Canterbury Finance
-MediaWorks
John Key has issues with transparency.
1) It is still a gray area.
2) If the studio was going to invest the money anyway, yes, it is pointless giving them a $30M taxbreak (see 3)
3) “Radio New Zealand’s political editor says the information includes an email from Sir Peter Jackson to the office of Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee saying the blacklisting of the films by actors had no bearing on where they would be made.” (http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/64715/dunne-concerned-by-hobbit-email)
4) Indeed, very mature. I’m sure most voters will think so. /sarc
Carol, the only proven way to ‘out’ the government is to ‘oust’ the government. Then you folks can release every detail of every sleezy little Tory back room deal. It is simply a matter of time, and how bad you want it.
Good point Jennifer. Sooner or later it will surface like scum on a pond.
Oliver repeating untruths doesn’t make them facts.
The film was NEVER at risk of going off NZ.
“confirming a grey area of law” but it was only grey in the movie industry? That’s odd.
If the Ombudsmen says the info doesnt need to be released ought we not be satisifed, or challenging the Ombudsmen not eh Government?
NZ Actors Equity and the CTU handed those concessions to Warner Bros on a plate through sheer breathtaking incompetence.
Oliver – Actors Equity is not an Australian union. Stop lying.
Actors Equity:
member fees fund Australian union officials
organised by Australian union officials
led by an Aussie stirrer who has gutted the Australian industry
Tigger – Actors Equity is Australian in all but name – stop denying.
joe bloggs, you mean like most big corporations in NZ????
Before I start – I work in film and tv.
1/ If a company tries to get around holiday pay / sick pay etc and cannot prove it then they deserve to get punished. That is what WETA did and they got caught. The flip side of this is that all employees must get a contract and read it properly, or if you don’t understand such things, get someone else to read it.
2/ A lot of Film and TV is export based. By this I mean money comes from overseas and gets spent in NZ. This may be in the form of materials or wages etc. Most other exporters get assistance from the govt so why not film? If all the suppliers (material and wages) get paid then they in turn pay tax – good for NZ. Yes, the govt may miss out on some GST ($30m in this case) but surely some is better than none?
Bryce I know support is available to exporters but I dont think most get government support. Creative NZ is government funded (or a Crown Entity), that’s form of funding for the film industry. I have no problem with support for film making, but not corporate giveaways tot he like of Billion dollars a year profit Warners. Many NZ exporters could have done with that level of support?
You’re right Tracey and I still think that it was all done in haste and could have cost the country a lot less in taxable income but I also think the actors plan to strike, while not directly responsible for the shambles, did offer some assistance to Warners. I don’t believe it was intentional, just one of those things that happens. Chain reaction so to speak.