Delahunty Catherine: Employment Relations (Film Production Work) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee 
Delahunty Catherine: Employment Relations (Film Production Work) Amendment Bill — First Reading Second Reading In Committee 
[Volume:668;Page:15001] 
CATHERINE DELAHUNTY (Green) 
: 
 Tena koe Mr Chairperson. I rise to take a call as the arts spokesperson for the Green Party. Before I start on clause 2 “Commencement” I also acknowledge that today is the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence 1835 in Aotearoa New Zealand which people seem to have forgotten. It is a shame that Warner Bros did not actually negotiate with the Confederation of the United Tribes of Aotearoa because on this day in 1835 it signed a declaration stating that we are a sovereign nation. The confederation said then that we were a sovereign nation but today we have reduced our level of independence. 
Let us come to clause 2 on timing. The commencement date for this bill should be delayed. The reason why the Green Party would like to see it delayed with or without the Royal assent is that the movie about this matter has not yet been made. We need not commence this bill until we have hired George Clooney because George Clooney is the perfect person to play John Key; he has done a really good job playing those kinds of characters in the past. I also believe that we should not commence this stage until we have hired Paris Hilton to play the Minister of Labour Kate Wilkinson. It is a small part in the movie but Paris would do a fine job. 
I think that we should also reconsider the commencement date because it is very important that we get the right people involved for this movie. We need to commence only when we have the right people. Meryl Streep would be a fine player for the part of Helen Kelly—Meryl Streep with a black wig. You know I can see it now. She did a really good job on the dingo movie; she could do a great job on this. 
If we are to commence then we need to make sure that we have everything in place. I feel that Warner Bros could play itself. Warner Bros is acting now. It has acted in its own interests and it could play itself. 
We should not commence this movie until we have hired Robbie Coltrane. He could do a fabulous job of playing Gerry Brownlee. I can see it now; Robbie is a fantastic actor. I think that Robyn Malcolm could play herself and many other people could play themselves but there will be a film there will be a T-shirt and there will be a movie. 
Before we commence this debacle tonight we should make sure that we continue with the really ridiculous fantasy world that the Government has drawn us into under urgency in attacking the rights of workers. Time is a very important issue for people working in the film industry. They are interested in the commencement date because they are already put under stress by an industry that takes up a lot of their time. I have many friends in the industry. They love working for the film industry but they do not love having very few rights. They are concerned that this commencement date will actually make it more difficult for those in the industry to have their rights as workers. 
When people do not get lunch breaks but they get a party at the end of the year time is a big issue for them. It is a long time to wait for decent working conditions. It is a long time to wait for decent lunch breaks when all they get is a party with a lot of champagne at the end of the year. That is what the working conditions in the film industry are like now. Thanks to the Government and to this absurd urgency and abuse of process it will be more difficult. 
Also we should not commence this bill because I heard the ACT Party talk about the real agenda. It likes to wag the dog but the dog is happy to follow. ACT members are very clear that this is not just about actors; it is about all working people and about reducing them to being in a contractual relationship where they do not have rights. 
Before we commence and before there is any Royal assent I say that we need to remember that this is a ludicrous situation. Many people are laughing at this country right now because there does not need to be a law change to keep these films. In fact I wish I had been able to speak on the previous clause. I thought we should have called the bill something like the “Feeble Negotiators Bill” or the “Harry Potter and the Poisoned Chalice Bill” because that is what it will be. It will turn into an absolute joke. 
I am looking forward to the movie and I am looking forward to the commencement date being delayed so that we can commence a return to sense and commence to commit to having sovereignty in this country. I am sure that Warner Bros is having a good drink at our expense tonight but a lot of people around this country are tweeting and going on Facebook to say as the wonderful Otara Millionaires Club said “How Bizarre”. That is where we really are tonight. We are witnessing one of the most bizarre theatrical experiences which will make a great film and we should commence it once we have sorted out what is really going on.