The Hobbit gets green-light and announces February start

[Mithalwen]

My parents came from Warwickshire so I spat my coffee during the coverage of the NZ protests when they claimed Middle Earth started in NZ....

[davem]

Hobbit deal costs New Zealand changes in labour laws and $25m tax break http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/...al-new-zealand

Yesterday (NZ Prime Minister John) Key declared that the new labour laws would be altered to recognise the difference between a contract worker and a movie production employee. He also announced an expansion in the nation's film subsidy programme, providing a tax rebate thought to be worth around $25m. "We will be moving to ensure that New Zealand law in this area is settled to give producers like Warner Bros the confidence they need to produce their movies in New Zealand," he said.

&
UPDATE 1-New Zealand divided over govt deal to keep Hobbit http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE69R1EH20101028

Included in the agreement was an offer of $25 million, some $15 million of that in tax breaks, and the law changes, which are being pushed through without the normal process of referral to a parliamentary committee and public submissions.....

"(It is) a solution that will enable Warner Bros and the international film community to restore their confidence in the New Zealand screen production environment," said Penelope Borland, chief executive of the Screen Production and Development Association of NZ.

But union officials, who had given assurances that the films would not be hit by industrial action, were outraged.

"That a foreign corporation can come into this country and demand that workers' rights in this industry be removed...that's effectively what's going to happen today," said Helen Kelly, the head of the Council of Trade Unions.

So, New Zealand gets to keep The Hobbit - & all it has to do is allow an unelected movie company re-write its laws.