Ardern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to MinistersText is subject to correctionArdern Jacinda: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers[Sitting date: 13 November 2013. Volume:694;Page:11. Text is subject to correction.]7.JACINDA ARDERN (Labour) to theMinister for Arts Culture and Heritage: When he stated “this is a golden age for the arts in New Zealand” was he including the current state of the screen production industry?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON (Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage): Yes of course. When I asked Grant Robertson to recognise the golden age I was referring to many areas where New Zealanders are excelling creatively. It includes music where a New Zealander is No. 1 on the USBillboardHot 100 chart for a 6th week and where Michael Houstoun has just finished his triumphal Beethoven tour. It includes literature where a talented New Zealander won the Man Booker Prize and where we did so well at the Frankfurt Book Fair. It includes the screen production sector whereTop of the Lake received numerous Emmy Award nominations the Edmund Hillary movie has received rave reviews andMr Pip has recently passed over $1 million in takings at the domestic box office. It includes the huge success of Sistema Aotearoa and the very strong orchestral sector. As Mrs Thatcher once said I could go on and on and on.Jacinda Ardern: Has he made any representations to the Minister for Economic Development over the need to address the crisis in the New Zealand screen industry; if so what recommendations has he made?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: The Minister for Economic Development and I are always talking about ways we can protect the film industry. So for example a few years ago that Minister in conjunction with Mr Brownlee and the Prime Minister and I looked at how we could protect New Zealand productions from Australian trade union thugs who wanted to wreckThe Hobbit and more recently I have been discussing with the Minister for Economic Development ways in which we can help the film production sector which is facing a high dollar and some very swift international movements by foreign countries in relation to the incentives they offer.Jacinda Ardern: Does he believe that the Large Budget Screen Production Grant Scheme is competitive?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: They are the very issues that I am discussing with the Minister for Economic Development at the moment. This is a very dynamic industry. Just today I received some information from California about its system and those are the sorts of issues we are looking at. But we are concerned to see that there is a strong and vital screen production sector and that it is protected from union thugs who would want to destroy it.Rt Hon John Key: What actions did the National-led Government take to ensure thatThe Hobbit movies were made in New Zealand and were they supported by all parties in Parliament?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: We undertook a number of matters including making some changes to the labour law to ensure that Simon Whipp and Helen Kelly did not get their way to destroyThe Hobbit in New Zealand. I remind Jacinda Ardern that it was Helen Kelly from the Council of Trade Unions who described Sir Peter Jackson as a “spoilt brat” and I would also observe that his local MP Annette King did not say anything about it. [Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! Amongst the noise I think I have a point of order.Hon Annette King: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. Perhaps my cousin would like to table evidence that I said nothing.Mr SPEAKER: Order! The member will resume her seat. That is not a point of order.Jacinda Ardern: Of the three issues that the screen industry raise the most consistently as having contributed to the current crisis it is experiencing which does he plan to do something about—first the exchange rate; second the uncompetitive rebate regime; or third the infrastructure issues in Auckland?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: I do not know how one could table evidence of nothing I say to my cousin. But I would say this to Jacinda Ardern: it is not within the power of the humble Minister for Arts Culture and Heritage to alter the exchange rate—Rt Hon John Key: Oh come on!Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: Oh is it? Oh right; OK. But what I am doing is looking at those issues with the Minister for Economic Development to ensure that we do have a vibrant industry.Jacinda Ardern: Is he content that he is currently presiding over the arts portfolio while the screen industry is experiencing its worst downturn in two decades but all his Government has done is undertake a review which took well over a year and produced virtually nothing in terms of solutions?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: That is a most revealing comment because it indicates to me that 4 years on Labour is still bagging Sir Peter Jackson who was the author of the review. There were a number of very good initiatives proposed. The point of the matter is that I am very proud of the way the arts and culture sector is going in New Zealand. As I have said and I will say it again to the honourable member who does not seem to have heard what I said we are working with Film New Zealand and the New Zealand Film Commission on these issues.Andrew Little: Tell that to the film industry workers looking for work.Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: I will say to Mr Little that his union thug mates will not be allowed to destroy the film industry.Jacinda Ardern: I seek to leave to table the review of the screen incentives regime which is what I was referring to—nothing to do with Sir Peter Jackson.Mr SPEAKER: Order! Is it something that is freely available to all members? It appears that it is so I am not putting the leave.Rt Hon John Key: Can the member confirm that over 5500 jobs were created throughTheHobbitmovies and can he confirm whether every political party supported the making ofTheHobbitmovies in New Zealand or did the parties that were elected by the unions not do that?Hon CHRISTOPHER FINLAYSON: I can confirm that 5000 jobs were saved including in Rongotai home of Annette King the self-styled “MP for Weta Workshop”.I can also confirm regrettably that not all parties were supportive—when it came down to supporting Simon Whipp and union thugs or supporting the film industry sadly they supported the former.