With his characteristic straight talk, Gareth Morgan at Interest.co.nz tells it like it is on the 'Avatar' film subsidy.
As a Wellingtonian though, I'm hopelessly compromised.
It is too hard to look a gift horse in the mouth when it might be the only thing keeping the good times rolling, as head offices continue to leach away.
I wonder whether the National ministers have thought far ahead. From my direct experience many film industry leaders are irrational, irretrievably reactionary and hostile to achievement values.
I'll not forget attending the annual awards ceremony as an MP where 'arts' and theatre speaker after speaker took their turn to worship Helen Clark. Their greasing might have been endured, but they found joy (supported by audience whooping) in going on to show her their love by pouring personal venom on National and its leadership. They had no reason for it, other than to show their tribal affiliation with the envious left.
Avatar's anti-business socialism is a strange cultural beneficiary of a National Party whose principles it despises.
Throughout history those who laud themselves as 'creatives' have sided with whoever despises the values of ordinary people.
Former ACT MP turned National Party candidate Stephen Franks is principal of commercial and public law firm Franks and Ogilvie.
Stephen Franks
Sun, 05 Jan 2014
Sun, 05 Jan 2014
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Our film subsidy temptation
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