Government must scrap failing film subsidies and fund Pharmac instead

The Taxpayers’ Union is calling on the government to axe all taxpayer funding for films and direct that money into Pharmac instead following reports that the Film Commission spent $88 million on film subsidies that generated just $14 million in box office revenue since 2020.

Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Connor Molloy, said:

“No one in their right mind believes that pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into film and gaming subsidies delivers better value to the taxpayer than funding life-saving medicines through Pharmac. Today’s revelations simply further make the case for this urgent reprioritisation.

“Corporate welfare like film subsidies is a bad idea regardless, but when Pharmac is actively short on funding for essential treatments and medicines it is a no-brainer to put this money to better use.

“Already thousands of New Zealanders have signed our petition to fund medicines not movies, it’s time the Government demonstrates their priorities are in the right place and not in the pockets of Hollywood billionaires.”