Prime Minister John Key and senior cabinet ministers and officials will meet representatives of US film company Warner Bros this afternoon to thrash out details aimed at securing filming of the Hobbit in New Zealand.Mr Key told media at the official openi
Prime Minister John Key and senior cabinet ministers and officials will meet representatives of US film company Warner Bros this afternoon to thrash out details aimed at securing filming of the Hobbit in New Zealand.
Mr Key told media at the official opening of Wellington Airport's new international terminal the talks would thrash out the details of any improved taxpayer funded subsidy package.
The decision on The Hobbit has been in the balance as officials and Warner Bros discuss possible labour law changes and details of the level of taxpayer subsidy.
Mr Key and a team of senior ministers met Warner Bros executives for more than two hours yesterday without resolving the problems that have made the movie company consider taking the $630 million production to another country.
The producers are worried about legal definitions of contractors and employees in New Zealand law, which they think could be used against them.
They are also said to have been spooked by union action and the international "do not work" order.
"We will have to make an assessment about whether we think a clarification in the law would assist New Zealand economically," Mr Key said. "If we do, we might make some changes."
The Government has also admitted it is prepared to move "at the margins" on subsidies for the two films but would not enter a bidding war to match what was on offer internationally.
