Producer defends statement on Budget

Press, 14 August 1982, Page 3

Producer defends statement on Budget

PA Napier The producer of New Zealand's successful film, “Goodbye Pork Pie," Mr Geoff Murphy, has defended his statement about the effects of the Budget on the film industry. Mr Murphy said that there could have been some confusion over his comment about the tax changes being “not all bad.” '

“It was my intention to say there were good aspects in the Budget relating to the film industry but that other aspects were But the report reflects accurately what I said.” Mr Murphy said that he had been “quizzed” about his statement by people who wanted a united front opposing the Budget moves.

He said that he refused to be , drawn into what was essentially a “storm in a teacup” about aspects of film funding in New Zealand. In . Wellington, the film commission strongly attacked the optimism of the Associate Minister of Finance (Mr Falloon) on Thursday' over the future of the film industry after the removal of tax shelters in the Budget. The commission had just completed a survey of six financial institutions which had recently invested in New Zealand films, said the commission's chairman, Mr William Sheat.

Of the six, five said that they would no longer invest in New' Zealand films and the sixth was uncertain of whether it would be able to raise money in the future, he said. The commission was , to have; held an emergency meeting yesterday to discuss the effects of the Budget moves. Mr Sheat said that a particular issue to be discussed would be the regulation enforcing what was in effect a three-year write-off of film investment. ; The commission had not been advocating a continuation of the tax shelters because of the Australian experience. However, in 1981 a new scheme had been introduced for the Australian film industry, and the commission wanted the Government to adopt the main features of this, Mr Sheat said.