Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Anatomy of a Shambles

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  • Sacha,

    James Dann offers a pictorial response to the settlement.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel,

    Happy that the film will stay. Unhappy about everything else. Is there a word for this?

    Life....

    So part of the deal is Jackson and Warners produce promotional material for NZ.

    Looking forward to the scene were Bilbo battles the giant salmon near Rakaia...

    Lonely Mountain, It's the only thing I can think of as close, but it's a volcano - not really the kind of place you mine.

    dig the extinct Mt Eden! - Angel Mine...



    keeping violins off the street...

    ...put a digital lid on it, and viola!

    ...fiddling about in the cellos...
    I plead the fifth!


    It's in the Baggins...
    ...now we can all get some sleep
    we haven't lost our Grips and Rodney Hide will be Best Boy and John Key is the Gaffer!

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    The nation's safety valve has been tightened - for now. Maybe a Royal Commission could map out a long-term strategy for the film sector?

    And is it me, or does Millsy remind me of the Peoples' Front of Judea? Fight the real enemy, not your potential allies.

    Roflnui about the Roman Polanski tweet. What next? "Michael Bay announces plans to film in NZ - John Key waives ACC levies for all transport, which is now required to carry minimum quantities of nitroglycerin on board."

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • 81stcolumn,

    <frowns>

    Hmmm Warner executives in a meeting with the NZ Prime Minister, I wonder if anyone used the word copyright in the conversation ?

    Aplogoes if:

    Mentioned earlier

    Way too conspiracy

    Nawthshaw • Since Nov 2006 • 790 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    The Hobbit Amendment Act - "The Government will introduce legislation tomorrow/today to clarify the distinction between independent contractors and employees as it relates to the film industry only."

    Likely to weaken the role of organised labur - unions - they bought it on themselves.

    There will liikely be no right to industrial action when under what you would consider is a production contract - a contract per production,

    Presently under the ERA there is no right to industrail action when one is under a collective agreement.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    This bloody film has taken priority over Earthquake Recovery!

    A spokesman for Gerry Brownlee said the Earthquake Recovery Minister had been busy with negotiations for The Hobbit and had not been told of the proposal.

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/4279596/Moore-joins-debate

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • rodgerd,

    Quite frankly, Trotter is right about you guys.

    Chris Trotter loves racism and thinks democracy is an optional extra, to be discarded when it gets in the way of what he wants. I have a hard time taking hom, or anyone who considers him a moral compass seriously.

    I also have a hard time taking anyone who considers the farming industry "good employers" while exalting the union movement. Ever hear of Massey's Cossacks?

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 512 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Wow, Helen Kelly is in denial and spinning like a top on Morning Repot. Perhaps she should tell the peeps who lost their jobs on Green Lantern that the Australian film industry is "thriving".

    And no, Helen, Mad Max 4 is NOT about to go intro production -- that probably won't start until 2012. (And they better sort something out with Chris Nolan -- otherwise Tom Hardy is going to have one bugger of a commute from Broken Hill.)

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    I thought that was her (missed the intro and turned it off after the bollocks about Aussie film thriving). Time to STFU, Helen.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Tom Semmens,

    Lovely to see the middle class celebrating our descent into feudalism. Still, it is all good as long as the noblisse oblige of Lord Jackson ensures there are presents for Timmy this Christmas, eh?

    Sevilla, Espana • Since Nov 2006 • 2217 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    @Tom: I'm sure Trotter and Rudman will shove over, and make room on the man-splaining naughty seat for you.

    Or you can bugger off back to your bridge before the Three Billy Goats Gruff arrive...

    Not that you care less, Tom, but my disdain for abuse of urgency to pass not particularly urgent legislation is still intact. But I'm also rather tickled at Trevor Mallard (he whose name is on the "clean venue" legislation for the RWC) being Labour's spokesman for corporate welfare eradication and constitution hygiene.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Since there is enough money to pay Warners, and changing the law is no problem, perhaps the government could do the same and find some loose change to pay the disability support workers for night shifts.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    John Armstrong gets to the heart of the matter (and then backs off):

    Parliamentary democracy, for sale.

    What depresses me is not just that this is being rushed through, but that there are so few voices like Armstrong's being raised. A principled defence of the democratic process is hard enough in the wake of earthquakes or terrorist attacks, but New Zealanders' threshold seems much lower.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    Helen Kelly - I wonder whether she was ambulance chasing or helping drive the ambulance of the cliff.

    She is spinning so fast her brain must have fallen out of her head.

    Mark Hadlow made a good point - "When was the last time NZAE were ever involved in your negotations" - Likely Never.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Rich Lock,

    So let's recap.

    The union has:

    - managed to make Jon '90 days' Key look like a hero for saving the hobbit.

    - Caused anti-union demos on Labour Day.

    - given the government an excuse to weaken our labour laws under urgency.

    - is giving lots of tax money to the studio at a time the country can least afford it.

    Thats a great job, guys. Out. Fucking. Standing.

    Wil you be celebrating with a few good old working class beers tonight? None of that champagne for you. No. That's for weak soft socialists like Russell Brown.

    What's that buzzing I hear? Oh yeah, it's Michael Joseph Savage spinniing in his grave.

    If anyone needs me, I'll be up at his memorial with a bottle of scotch, screaming at the wind.

    back in the mother countr… • Since Feb 2007 • 2728 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    John Armstrong gets to the heart of the matter (and then backs off):

    Perhaps getting to the "heart of the matter" would require asking uncomfortable questions about the "corporate hospitality" (and aggressive lobbying) of foreign-owned media "mega-money" like Fairfax and APN's corporate parent. Can't be biting the hand that signs your pay cheque, can you?

    What is important is that this fiasco does not set a precedent for a further flexing of industrial muscle - the commercial sort, not the trade union kind.

    Wonder if there's any PASers who got downsized into oblivion by APN who'd have a point of view on that...

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming,

    It's almost amusing to me that the people worrying about ceding New Zealand sovereignty to an American film company were quite relaxed about ceding it to an Australian union. Ah, doublethink...

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Tinshed,

    Lovely to see the middle class celebrating our descent into feudalism.

    You see, this is why no-one takes the Left seriously anymore. I mean, really, feudalism? I get that you don't like what has happened and consider it "wrong" in some way, i.e. a perceived loss of sovereignty by selling out to American movie moguls through additional tax incentives and changes to employment legislation at their bequest. I think most of us acknowledge that is a legitimate point of view, but to call that a descent into feudalism is just plain silly.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Jul 2008 • 12 posts Report Reply

  • tim kong,

    And if it's such bad law-making process - why was there not the same hand-wringing over the equally bad law that is the Earthquake bill?

    Really - the left needs to take this one on the chin, and make sure it doesn't screw up this unbelievably badly again.

    Ideology doesn't exist in a political vacuum - and when it does - it resembles the bun-fight/new-speak spin of the last month.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 153 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    I just don't see all business - even big business - as some great evil.

    But it seems to now occupy so much of our time. But anyway, you fail to make the distinction between "business" and the people who are in it.
    Sure a big corporation just sitting there looking all innocent is not evil. But funnily enough when that "business" gets down to its daily business those people (who are probably lovely people away from the job, have families they love etc) who make the business come to life will do some pretty stupid things. Things that might even be "evil". Of those people who work at the business, some even seem to undergo a personality change when they are at work. And then there's all that corporate loyalty crap gleened from just about every shit self help manual ever printed.

    Don't get me wrong, 'cos it sure as hell can be *monsanto, big tobacco, etcetc* - but negotiations and striking deals have been happening since humans first bartered skills and food, etc.

    I suppose this could be filed under crap justifications for doing stuff.
    My translation:
    Hey we humans have been doing this shit for millenia cant change now, its in our DNA. Cause our ancestors bartering for food is just the same as a fast food conglomerate. Innit.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    It's almost amusing to me that the people worrying about ceding New Zealand sovereignty to an American film company were quite relaxed about ceding it to an Australian union. Ah, doublethink...

    Single think for me. Laws being written in one day and passed on the next = very bad.

    And very bad when Labour and the Greens say "Thanks for the precedent, guys!" next time they're in power.

    And if it's such bad law-making process - why was there not the same hand-wringing over the equally bad law that is the Earthquake bill?

    There was plenty, Tim. Long threads on here for a start.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie,

    What's that buzzing I hear? Oh yeah, it's Michael Joseph Savage spinniing in his grave.
    If anyone needs me, I'll be up at his memorial with a bottle of scotch, screaming at the wind.

    Screaming because your effete, atrophied, office-softened hands can no longer wield a shovel?

    A frustrated political necrophiliac. The never-ending wonders that the interwebs throw up.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    It's almost amusing to me that the people worrying about ceding New Zealand sovereignty to an American film company were quite relaxed about ceding it to an Australian union.

    Irony double down: Fretting from the powned serfs who were perfectly happy to cede their "sovereignty" to Sydney and Dublin -- and solidarity be damned when hundreds were laid off, and hundreds more had their pay and conditions erroded. But, of course, that's different.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    Simon g - WBs didn't mind where the movie was made - so it was not a gun held to the head - they would have been happy to take it offshore which is what they intended to do in response to the boycott.

    It is NZ that wanted the movie made here and it is the NZ Branch of an Autralian union and CTU that held the gun to the head of the NZ Film industry.

    The legistaltion is part of dodging the bullet. It is ugly but it is a solution that works.

    What was the alternative?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • simon g,

    It is ugly but it is a solution that works.

    Did you really just say that?

    What was the alternative?

    PM says to WB: "Gov't will introduce legislation. I'm confident we have the numbers. ACT will support us. We will proceed as usual, in our parliamentary democracy. If that is unacceptable to you, I'm sorry. But that's how laws are passed."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1333 posts Report Reply

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