Constitutional implications of ‘The Hobbit’ legislation

Abstract

In October 2010 an amendment to the Employment Relations Act 2000 was passed under urgency. This amendment redefined the employment status of workers in the film industry. This article addresses the constitutional implications of this process, contrasting the stated need for urgency in relation to the need to necessary to preserve jobs on the „Hobbit‟ film production, with the costs in terms of removing the opportunity for consultation with the workers affected, altering their employment status and their capacity to negotiate their remuneration and conditions of work.