Alex Perrottet: Fresh in everyone’s minds is last year’s dispute about employment rights over the filming of The Hobbit in New Zealand. Now while most New Zealanders breathed a sigh of relief when they realised the filming was going to stay here on our shores, everyone remembers as well the bully tactics of Warner Brothers and tonight they have blitzed the field in the race to be the most notorious transnational corporation operating in New Zealand and they have received the Roger Award for 2010.
Chief judge Christine Dann: The Roger Award for the worst transnational company operating in New Zealand in 2010 goes to the "Saurons of cinema" - Warner Brothers.
Alex Perrottet: Organiser Murray Horton said Warner Brothers deserved its award for its exploitation of the New Zealand government and the film’s workers. He said judges based their decision on strict criteria.
Murray Horton: So it’s not rhetoric, it’s not slogans. It’s actually hard facts. For example the winners for 2010, the latest year - Warner Brothers - were judged to have to have been the worst transnational corporation in New Zealand because of their trampling all over New Zealand’s sovereignty and indeed democracy, and then saying, "OK, we won’t make the Hobbit film here unless you do x, y and z."
Alex Perrottet: For the first time, an individual has taken out an award, with Sir Peter Jackson receiving special recognition, and a grilling from Horton.
Murray Horton: That is the behaviour of a classic ruthless movie mogul, not just an avuncular old Wellington boy, which is the carefully cultivated image that he has.
Alex Perrottet: Chief judge Christine Dann said repeat offender Telecom was among the finalists.
Chief judge Christine Dann: It would rather pay the CEO an annual salary that would support 100 families for a year if its technicians were employed directly and paid what their skills and efforts are worth.
Alex Perrottet: Horton hopes this year’s award has an actual impact on all finalists.
Murray Horton: One would hope that the finger of shame being pointed at them would actually play some sort of role saying "get your act together, people are watching".
Alex Perrottet: There’s enough room on the Roger Award for many years to come, but for now, that’s all folks.
Reporter: Alex Perrottet; camera/script: Jeff Bell
Pacific Media Centre, AUT University.
* Sauron was a corrupt fictional character in the epic fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien, and also featured in the earlier book The Hobbit.
Alex Perrottet
