Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Yet More Hobbit

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  • Paul Williams,

    That's a crap apology. An apology should be specific and include no qualifications. I expect no more of him, he's TVNZ's pet baffoon and I suspect they quietly encourage this.

    Prime Minister John Key says Breakfast host Paul Henry's comments about Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand were "just plain wrong" but they won't stop him from appearing on the show again next week.

    At his post-Cabinet press conference today, Mr Key was asked his opinion on Mr Henry's comments.

    "Well fundamentally, they were just plain wrong," said Mr Key. "Clearly, not only is he a New Zealander, he's a very fine one."

    Asked whether he encouraged Mr Henry's comments by joking with him, Mr Key said: "I don't think I can be held responsible for what Mr Henry says.

    And this is bullshit too. Key was laughing along with him. Faux rage hours later is not credible. I expect more of my PM.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • SteveH,

    Key was laughing along with him. Faux rage hours later is not credible. He'll happily laugh along with the racist but declaim him later. I expect more of my PM.

    My impression of Key is that he happily goes along with most anything until the public reaction is clear.

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan King,

    From Screen Hub:

    On Sunday, Actors' Equity posted a statement that said “Helen Kelly, CTU President has met with Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh and we are hopeful that a meaningful dialogue between Equity, SPADA, and Three Foot Seven can be established.”

    On Breakfast this morning, John Key said that he was hopeful of a resolution, that the government was prepared to facilitate discussions, and that it was “a wider dispute between actors and producers and that's where the debate should be held,” referring to Friday's offer by SPADA to meet with NZ Actors' Equity.

    It's my understanding that, despite Spada's offer to meet, nothing has been heard by them, as of this evening, from Equity / MEAA.

    It does seem that the limited CTU and Key involvement described above -- such as they are -- is the only 'progress' that's been made, and that Equity ("we just want to talk") still won't actually, you know, talk.

    Since Sep 2010 • 185 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    It's my understanding that, despite Spada's offer to meet, nothing has been heard by them, as of this evening, from Equity / MEAA.

    That's unacceptable. Someone needs to call Jennifer and remind her what she actually said on TV about wanting to "get in a room" with Spada.

    Unless there are meetings we don't know about, it casts the various entreaties for the likes of us to shut up and let people get on with talking it through in an interesting light.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Equity has posted a copy of the Australian MEAA collective agreement.

    See what you make of it.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Cox,

    Well, I like how you can earn experience points...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    Well, I like how you can earn experience points...

    Yeah, that kinda jumped out for me. Acting is like World of Warcraft

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Neil Morrison,

    45 (d) (i)

    overall I think they're trying to systematise a process that relies more on personal relations.

    Since Nov 2006 • 932 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan King,

    Ah, now we're getting somewhere: they want Australia Day off.

    Since Sep 2010 • 185 posts Report Reply

  • Pat Hackett,

    Someone needs to call Jennifer and remind her what she actually said on TV about wanting to "get in a room" with Spada.

    I have only heard her say she wants to meet the "producers" meaning Three Foot Seven. I can't recall her saying she wants to meet Spada.

    Unless there are meetings we don't know about.

    The only meetings reported today have been Jackson/Walsh with Brownlee, including Gerry having discussions over the phone with JWL.

    Gerry must obviously see this as a gift horse chance to redeem his public image.

    Auckland • Since Oct 2010 • 95 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I have only heard her say she wants to meet the "producers" meaning Three Foot Seven. I can't recall her saying she wants to meet Spada.

    In the Campbell Live interview I linked to:

    We would love to get in the room with Spada. We would like nothing more than to sit down and negotiate a standard contract ...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Pat Hackett,

    OK. thanks. It doesn't ring true - AE wants to meet Spada, Spada trying to phone AE to arrange meeting, CTU wants them to have meaningful dialogue etc.

    Somewhere, someone's not returning any phone calls.

    Auckland • Since Oct 2010 • 95 posts Report Reply

  • Peter Cox,

    See what you make of it.

    From a (very) cursory glance my personal opinion is that it would be bloody handy if someone at Actor's Equity went through it with a highlighter to show what they're interested in.

    A fair portion seems pretty irrelevant to an independent contractor relationship, which is unsurprising seeing as the Australian Actors are classed as employees.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca,

    Geez
    39A etc scary.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    That's a crap apology. An apology should be specific and include no qualifications. I expect no more of him, he's TVNZ's pet baffoon and I suspect they quietly encourage this.

    What would this look like to overseas observers? Chances are all this'll make us look like the Mississippi of the South Seas.

    Yeah, that kinda jumped out for me. Acting is like World of Warcraft

    Simon Whipp: Level ?? Boss. PvP.

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

  • BenWilson,

    Yeah, that kinda jumped out for me. Acting is like World of Warcraft

    Lets get our guild to gank MEAA n00bs every time we see them then. Horde bastards.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    Lets get our guild to gank MEAA n00bs every time we see them then. Horde bastards.

    Timely, since my main toon just looted this last night.

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

  • David Hood,

    Well, it is half again as long as the collective contract I'm on, and in an industry I'm not involved with, so my eye glaze over fairly quickly. But one thing I do notice is that, compared to my one, the MEAA contract is keen to spell out the exact method and time of contact between employer and employee. My contract use notify, but when the MEAA uses the word notify it is followed up by "in writing". Also there are a lot of provisions for the production company to report to the union (presumably to make sure that the company is behaving correctly), whereas this seems to be covered by more general law in my contract.

    But I don't work anywhere near this industry, so have no idea what comparable contracts might look like.

    Dunedin • Since May 2007 • 1445 posts Report Reply

  • SteveH,

    It doesn't ring true - AE wants to meet Spada, Spada trying to phone AE to arrange meeting, CTU wants them to have meaningful dialogue etc.

    I believe what is happening is that NZAE is refusing to meet with Spada unless a collective agreement is on the table, not just for a revision of the Pink Book. Frances Walsh said as much last week. I suspect their position hasn't changed since then.

    Since Sep 2009 • 444 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia,

    And this is bullshit too. Key was laughing along with him. Faux rage hours later is not credible. I expect more of my PM.

    To be fair, Paul - I spend years wondering why Helen Clark wasted her time being the stooge to Henry's buffoonery. It was painful watching her visibly trying to stop herself from cringing or rising to the troll bait on a regular basis; and Key didn't get any better as leader of the opposition. (I would, however, buy tickets for Simon Bridges & Jacinta Adern giving him a tag-team bitch slap.)

    ETA: I'd class Breakfast as bad comedy rather than news/current affairs, but TVNZ apparently thinks otherwise. Perhaps it would be wise for the Prime Minister to avoid 1) feeding a notorious tele-troll, and 2) saying anything that Henry could turn into a claim of political interference if TVNZ did sack or suspend him. Personally, I'd like Key and Goff to stand up and say they (and their caucuses) will be boycotting Breakfast until Henry learns to impersonate a human being. But I sure don't want them opening their mouths and handing Henry an excuse to play the victim or walk off with a fat settlement.

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

  • Peter Cox,

    I suspect their position hasn't changed since then.

    Unless dozens of people including the crown law office telling them it's effectively illegal to do so has started to change their mind.

    But hopefully the CTU/Govt will find a way to make it all work. I'm sure there's a way to get both SPADA and AE to the table.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 312 posts Report Reply

  • Jonathan King,

    Unless dozens of people including the crown law office telling them it's effectively illegal to do so has started to change their mind.

    Heh. I thought this bit in the Screen Hub story was interesting:

    As a US source close to the production said to Screen Hub last week, “Whose legal advice are the studios going to listen to – Equity's or the [NZ] government's? Are the producers really going to negotiate a collective deal with actors when your government is telling them it's illegal?”

    Wherever and whenever the production goes ahead the producers will deal with government departments and agencies on all sorts of issues. In NZ, permission is required for overseas actors and crew to work here, permits are required for location shooting, tax and GST returns need to be filed.

    When it's all over, the producers will want to collect their LBSPG cheque from the government for the 15% of qualifying local expenditure, not be embroiled in a court battle for breaking the law.

    Since Sep 2010 • 185 posts Report Reply

  • Russell Brown,

    I believe what is happening is that NZAE is refusing to meet with Spada unless a collective agreement is on the table, not just for a revision of the Pink Book. Frances Walsh said as much last week. I suspect their position hasn't changed since then.

    And that, I think, is a wildly unreasonable stance in the circumstances.

    Apparently they're not even saying that, though. Their response on Friday was "we'll get back to you". Which, apparently, they didn't.

    They're playing with other people's livelihoods here.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Williams,

    To be fair, Paul - I spend years wondering why Helen Clark wasted her time being the stooge to Henry's buffoonery. It was painful watching her visibly trying to stop herself from cringing or rising to the troll bait on a regular basis; and Key didn't get any better as leader of the opposition. (I would, however, buy tickets for Simon Bridges & Jacinta Adern giving him a tag-team bitch slap.)

    I'm not feeling so forgiving of Key. His reaction wasn't what I'd expect though I concede your point; politicians have to be careful dealing with the media. However, Henry's comments were plainly racist and Key should have simply, clearly and immediately said something as mild as "that's not at all appropriate Paul". And, in anticipation of the Clark and Field and Clark and Peters response; I agree, she too should've called bullshit more quickly as well.

    Key's success is a lot to do with his very obvious, and clearly genuine, personability. Just 'cause I'm a Labour supporter, I don't have a problem with that, I actually think there's a real democratic benefit to having a PM who's as accessable. I also accept that going on popular(ist) chat shows is part of the deal and treading a cautious line is necessary.

    I also insist the PM stands up for our enviable political legacy of tolerance and diversity. It's one of the many things I feel unflinchingly proud of about NZ. I expect the NZ PM to always take on racists, sexists, homophobes and any other intolerance head on. He didn't do that today and he damn well should have.

    Now I'll shut up about this so that the other debate can continue.

    Sydney • Since Nov 2006 • 2273 posts Report Reply

  • Carlos,

    Well said Paul (Williams to be clear).

    Key needs to understand that while lots of moderates like me, that moved our allegiance from Clark to him at the last election, like the fact he is 'relaxed about' lots of things like flags on bridges. This blatant racism is something we are not 'relaxed about' and don't expect him to be either.

    CPH.DK • Since Mar 2009 • 27 posts Report Reply

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