Tizard Judith: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
Tizard Judith: Estimates Debate — In Committee 
[Volume:627;Page:21976] 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage) 
: 
 I am delighted to take a call in this estimates examination and I am delighted to work with the Prime Minister the first Prime Minister in New Zealand’s history who has chosen to be the Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage. As she often says in our small trading nation at the end of a globalising world the debate about what is for sale and what is not for sale in this nation is the cultural debate. It is about what we value and who we are. It is about the attitudes we want our children to develop and take out into the world as we all work together to make a prosperous inclusive society. The arts are absolutely how we say who we are and it is our culture—the debate about New Zealand identity and about how we make our living—that is being encouraged by this Government. 
I am delighted to say that our statement of intent for the next 4 years includes some work around making sure that we get value for money in this area. I commend the Ministry for Culture and Heritage for the work it has done in a number of areas as we have expanded the Budget but also as employment in and exports from this sector have expanded out of all proportion. These are the jobs and exports of the future. Every member of this House should understand that the creative industries—film music the visual arts the design arts and all of those areas—are how New Zealanders make their living in many cases. Cultural tourism is a vital part of how we export New Zealand ideas and get New Zealand jobs. Our Cultural Diplomacy International Programme recognises that it is all very well to take fabulous New Zealand food and wine overseas but that it is actually wearable art that brands New Zealand and gets people to come and spend their hard-earned dollars here to make jobs for New Zealanders. I am delighted at the way this Government has worked through our major institutions. Te Papa has one of its most successful touring exhibitions on  
The 
Lord of the Rings 
 travelling internationally and has a number of major exhibitions going on including a fabulous follow-up—on which it has worked with Toi Maori Aotearoa—to the Toi Maori exhibition that will go to San Francisco in the next couple of weeks. The work in Aichi at the World Exposition and the whole area of the export of New Zealand artists’ work is an important part of providing creative industry opportunities for all New Zealanders. 
The films that are coming through will just amaze many New Zealanders. The $22 million this Government invested in 2000 not only produced  
Whale Rider 
 and  
Perfect Strangers 
 but will also bring us films like  
River Queen 
 which the ACT member who has just made her valedictory speech was abusing this time last year. It is an absolutely extraordinary film that will I believe make real waves and real opportunities for New Zealand film makers including Vincent Ward. We will see  
The World’s Fastest Indian 
 celebrate Invercargill—celebrate New Zealand ingenuity New Zealand courage New Zealand energy and the New Zealand sense of humour. It is a fabulous film. We should thank expatriate New Zealanders like Roger Donaldson and Vincent Ward who have come back to make movies that they can only make as New Zealanders and make here. Many many other films are in production and post-production and they will be let loose on the world to go out there and sell New Zealand. 
This portfolio is about how we make our living and how we make jobs for the future. I am very proud to front up to taxpayers on every dollar that is spent in this portfolio. I want to point out again that the member who made her valedictory speech was not listening. Creative New Zealand’s council said that it would do a comprehensive report after three efforts at the Venice Biennale. I was in Brisbane recently and what was on the front page of the major arts newspaper in Brisbane? It was New Zealand’s show at the Venice Biennale. It is getting international coverage. I may not like it but the whole point is that we do not live in Soviet Russia and politicians do not decide what art should be out there. I say that we should let the creative people do that and I will do my work as the Associate Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage. I believe that a prosperous decent well-educated stimulating society that includes all New Zealanders is what we are aiming for and that is what we are doing with this vote. 
Vote agreed to.