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Actors' unions
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Arts funding
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Christopher Finlayson
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Jacinda Ardern
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The Budget 2014
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The Hobbit
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Jacinda Ardern is widely regarded as a future leader of the Labour Party. But she's been sent back to school by Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson.
Ms Ardern has been critical of apparent reductions in arts funding in the Budget, and has repeated her criticisms despite them having been proved to be false. So Finlayson sent out a very terse presser yesterday; here 'tis:
Christopher Finlayson
23 May, 2014
Labour once again shows its financial illiteracy
Jacinda Ardern has yet again shown why New Zealanders do not trust the Labour Party even to read a Budget correctly, let alone write one, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson said today.
Ms Ardern has made numerous incorrect statements about arts funding in Budget 2014, despite these errors being repeatedly pointed out in Parliament and online.
“The supposed ‘cut’ to public broadcasting claimed by Ms Ardern reflects the fact that last year $4.5 million was spent on the Going Digital project, helping the switch over to digital television,” Mr Finlayson said. “That spending is not in the budget this year, because, well, we have Gone Digital.”
“We have in fact allocated extra funding within public broadcasting on new projects, including the maintenance of the TVNZ archives.”
“There is no reduction in heritage spending, as she has claimed. What may have confused Ms Ardern is that heritage now appears in two appropriations, one of which is earmarked for World War One centenary commemorations, a key heritage project. The total is slightly higher than last year.”
“In future, perhaps she should read further down the page before firing off indignant press releases.”
Mr Finlayson is regarded as one of Parliament's best debaters. He also writes a pretty good presser. And he goes on to remind those receiving his media release that Labour is vulnerable over another arts issue; the film industry:
“Funding for regional museums has been maintained throughout the two terms of this government, and remains at its baseline funding of $6.67 million per year," Mr Finlayson said. "However, last year the appropriation was higher because unspent funds from the previous year had been carried over. This is spelled out in the Supplementary Estimates of Appropriations.”
"This government has revitalised the screen industry, a point she obscures. We saved the production of the Hobbit trilogy in New Zealand from the unions, and have ensured that not only will three Avatar sequels be filmed here but that the production will employ New Zealanders in key roles."
"This is quite aside from the important recent structural reform of the Arts Council and Heritage New Zealand (formerly the Historic Places Trust), which were ignored by the previous government."
Readers will remember Labour being labelled Hobbit-haters; a reference they fully deserve. In siding with the trade unions representing actors, Labour was complicit in the making of the movies almost not happening in New Zealand.
Readers may also remember the hypocrisy that followed, best illustrated in this photograph of Grant Robertson and Ms Ardern basking in the glory of a walk along the red carpet at the Hobbit premiere in Wellington.
Hobbit-hating is bad enough. Repeatedly making accusations that arts funding has been cut when it hasn't, and when the accuser has repeatedly been told she is wrong is even worse. Mr Finlayson has a final word for Jacinda Ardern:
"National politics is not high school,” Mr Finlayson said. “Jacinda Ardern shouldn't think professing to care about the arts means she can opt out of maths."
Quite so Mr Finlayson. Maybe the Labour Party needs to admit another mistake, and get back the Treasury assignee to scrutinise their media statements and policies, and to help Labour MP's to understand the Budget. There have been so many gaffes from Labour this year alone that any numbers or dollar figures that the party presents must be taken with a truckload of salt.
Jacinda Ardern is clearly an advocate for the old adage to never let the facts get in the way of a good story. She will have to do better than this is her early promise is to be realised.
