Repeal plan welcome
Equity New Zealand says a repeal of the so-called ‘‘Hobbit law’’ is welcome, calling it ‘‘deeply unfair’’ legislation.
The union, which represents workers in the country’s entertainment industries, said the Employment Relations (Film Production Work) Amendment Act 2010 (known as ‘‘The Hobbit law’’, due to it being created to help ensure Peter Jackson’s production remained here) was rushed through Parliament.
It classified all film-workers as ‘‘independent contractors’’, meaning they were unable to bargain collectively or receive other employee benefits.
The new Labour-led Government has announced it intends to change the law, which it voted against in 2010, accusing the then National government of relenting to a foreign company (Hobbit-backers Warner Bros) and abusing Parliamentary process.
Equity New Zealand president Jennifer Ward-Lealand said what they want is not necessarily to change all film and television workers’ status to employees, but rather get back the fundamental right for them to collectively bargain.
‘‘We all know why anticompetitive laws were set up – to prevent big business price-fixing. But that has become, over the years, a big stick for people to wield against people who are in very unfair situations. It is right and proper that this be repealed.’’
She described the Government’s latest move as a ‘‘clear vote of confidence on New Zealand’s world-class screen industry’’. However, she warned it was just the start of much-needed reforms.
‘‘Much more needs to be done to enable collective bargaining in our industry.
‘‘In Australia, all actors have employee status, so they get holiday pay, sick leave and bereavement leave.’’