NEW ZEALAND MINISTER HOSTS MIKE MOORE'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L WELLINGTON 000647

SIPDIS

NSC FOR MGREEN
DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/30/2014
TAGS: PREL PGOV NZ
SUBJECT: NEW ZEALAND MINISTER HOSTS MIKE MOORE'S
"FAHRENHEIT 9/11" FUNDRAISER (ALMOST)


Classified By: DCM David R. Burnett


1. (SBU) Embassy Wellington learned July 30 that GNZ
Cabinet Minister for the Environment Marian Hobbs was
reportedly hosting a special screening of Michael Moore's
controversial movie "Fahrenheit 9/11" as a local Labour Party
fundraising event. DCM contacted the Prime Minister's office
to ask whether it could shed some light on the matter and was
told by PM office staff that they were not aware of the issue
but would look into it. DCM then contacted Minister Hobbs'
office but the Minister's office declined to make her
available to discuss the matter. Hobbs' staff later informed
Embassy that Hobbs would not be hosting the fundraiser.
However, she would be attending the event.


2. (C) COMMENT: There's a reason this particular Minister is
nicknamed "Boo Boo" Hobbs. That said, it is probable that
this potential fiasco may only have been averted because of
our phone calls - it is apparent to us that neither the
Minister nor anyone else in the Labour government seems to
have thought there was anything wrong with a senior Minister
hosting such an event. Ambassador will use a scheduled
meeting with the Prime Minister to tell Clark of the near
instantaneous press queries for USG comment in this matter
and remind her that we would really rather not get dragged
into internal NZ political issues, such as Ministerial
fundraising events for Clark's Labour Party.
Swindells