Mallard flags Hobbit dissent

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Fri, 29 Oct 2010 11:31a.m.

Labour MP Trevor Mallard is not in favour of the Hobbit deal

Labour MP Trevor Mallard is not in favour of the Hobbit deal

By James Murray

Labour MP Trevor Mallard took a swipe at the Government's deal with Warner Bros today, holding up a depiction of the New Zealand flag with the film-maker's logo in place of the Union Jack.

John Key brokered a deal with Warner Bros on Wednesday that ensured the two Hobbit movies would be made in New Zealand.

What do you think of the Hobbit deal? Give us your opinion here.

In return, Warner Bros, and other big budget film-makers, will enjoy greater tax breaks when making movies in New Zealand and changes will be made to employment law, which will stop contractors from taking legal action if they believe they should be classified as an employee.

Mr Mallard said the flag was sent to him by a young, talented New Zealander who lives and works in Japan.

"What he says is: 'New Zealand sovereignty is finished'," Mallard told the house as he was heckled by National MPs.

Parliament is expected to pass the new employment legislation later today.

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Comments

31 Oct 2010 08:33p.m.

Warren Matthews wrote:

@Pete 30 Oct 2010 1:23a.m. I agree with Kim, can I be a stand up too?

30 Oct 2010 01:23a.m.

Pete wrote:

@Kim. Ever thought of being a stand up comic? With a routine as funny as that you would be a hit. What a joke.

29 Oct 2010 06:02p.m.

Kim wrote:

Oh for pitys sake. Do any of you really think that john keys would have taken this on unless he knew he would secure the movie. (repeating someone else here) Imagine if he hadn't been able too do it.
The truth is it was never going anywhere. Did you all miss the article which stated Keys knew one of the exec's from WB. That should at least get you thinking...
This has been a setup from a man you all worship as if his $h!t dont smell bad to try and shut the unions up before pushing through an attack on workers rights.
You all sit there moaning about the unions but do any of you know where we would be without them.
We would all (most) be working for barely survivable subsistance wages.
Get over your "im all right" mindsets and open your eyes..

29 Oct 2010 05:10p.m.

Hayden wrote:

labour hope u guys get a hiding in the next election. yea would have been good to lose the movie to the uk. and have thousands of people out of work. and cost the taxpayers more for the people not working

29 Oct 2010 02:13p.m.

Brenda Kara wrote:

hmmm N.Z. hasn't got sovereignty as they are unconstitutional. does Queen Elizabeth II know of this flag change under the Hague Convention?? Time to let her know in accordance to He Whakaputanga o Nu Tireni 1835 Article 4. The Apostille Seal of the Company UPFN shall be going forth to rectify this corruption & due diligence will be made under the (Convention de La Haye 5 octobre 1961) as this matter can now be brought before 200states including the protectorate state United Kingdom. nice share. Thanks

29 Oct 2010 01:53p.m.

Jeff wrote:

Mallard is just politiking as usual. New Zealand's sovereignty was first impugned when a foreign union, the Australian MEAA saw fit to interfere in our country's employment issues and consequently put thousands of jobs at risk. What is really outrageous is that CTU president Helen Kelly actively supported this interference. MEAA's branch union NZ Actors Equity has lost all credibility and Helen Kelly has confirmed that she is not competent to hold any office in the CTU. Just being the daughter of a famous old unionist isn't enough any more.

29 Oct 2010 01:38p.m.

jude wrote:

Labour and the unions have seriously mishandled this whole'hobbit' affair. What a stupid antic Mallard! it shows how out of touch you really are! Roll on next year so we can maybe give you an even clearer message!!

29 Oct 2010 01:10p.m.

Chris wrote:

Another nail in Labours and the Unions coffin. Labour are anti progress and devoid of any new ideas. They moan and complain and sit on their socialist pity pot being victims. Thank goodness for a Prime Minister that uses his in initiative and intelligence to get NZ ahead.

29 Oct 2010 12:23p.m.

Ex-Labour wrote:

I don't believe the behaviour or our opposition MP's. They don't deserve the moniker 'Labour'. They are a disgrace to everything we stood for.

29 Oct 2010 12:08p.m.

Lightseed wrote:

Perhaps Mallard should hold up an IRB flag, he was going to bend over and take it right up his, changing laws for the IRB. Or perhaps students should ask why it is alight for him to change law when in government to change the school terms in 2011 for a bloody sports game, but changing a law that leads to confusion about employment and saw one man who signed on as a contractor be able to claim he was an employee win a court case. There is a huge problem with the law and it should of been changed under labour but they took it too far up the butt for unions and never cared.