New Zealand says, Hurrah for The Hobbit
New Zealand can rest easy. The Hobbit is staying Down Under
New Zealand, Prime Minister John Key said new labour laws would be introduced to Parliament immediately to ensure that filming could proceed. The legislation will apply only to the film industry.
The PM also announced The Hobbit will get a US$15m tax rebate.
The Government will also offset U$10m of Warner Brothers’ marketing costs. In exchange Warner Brothers will work with the government to promote New Zealand as a film production and tourism destination.
Marketing from the movies will be worth ”tens of millions” to New Zealand, Key said.
The future of the NZ$670 million production hung in the balance after an actors’ union issued a no-work order on the films last month.
“New Zealand is Middle Earth,†declared one poster protesting about the possibility of union action wrecking the plans of Warner Bros to film The Hobbit in New Zealand.
Talks were held with studio executives from Warner Brothers to resolve concerns about industrial laws in New Zealand.
The film’s executive producer, Sir Peter Jackson, would “be a very happy camper” Key said.
Tourism New Zealand general manager public affairs, Suzanne Carter, said it was great news for New Zealand and New Zealand’s tourism industry that The Hobbit would be filmed here.
“The Hobbit provides us with another great opportunity to promote New Zealand to the world in a unique way and to raise awareness of New Zealand as a visitor destination.
“The Lord of the Rings films presented New Zealand to the world in a truly spectacular way.
“People are still travelling to New Zealand today because of the exposure gained through the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit will provide another much-needed boost to our multi-billion dollar tourism industry.â€
The Hobbit is a prequel to Peter Jackson’s highly successful trilogy, The Lord of the Rings, which premiered in New Zealand in 2001, 2002 and 2003. All three Lord of the Rings films were filmed in New Zealand.
Figures out today show that in the year to March 2010, tourism was New Zealand’s biggest foreign money earner outstripping the diary sector as New Zealand’s top export earner worth $9.5 billion.
By Ian Jarrett
Ian Jarrett
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