AAP

Stealth producers abandon appeal

30apr04

A FILM production company ordered to halt shooting a Hollywood blockbuster in the NSW Blue Mountains withdrew its court appeal today.

AFG Talon, producers of the action movie Stealth, lodged an appeal in the NSW Supreme Court yesterday.

It followed an earlier decision yesterday by the NSW Land and Environment Court to set aside approval the state government had given for the filming, which had been scheduled to last for eight days.

Justice David Lloyd yesterday said that declared wilderness areas were sacrosanct after the Blue Mountains Conservation Society challenged the government's approval for the filming, arguing it was inconsistent with the purposes and objectives of a wilderness area.

AFG Talon lodged an appeal, which was supported by the government, but withdrew it today, saying it could not afford to delay filming.

"Having incurred financial expense in defending the permit ... the production has limited time remaining in NSW and cannot rely on the timing of an appeal," the company said in a statement.

"The film needs the certainty of a location this week."

The $130 million project was in the 60th day of a 78-day shoot.

NSW Premier Bob Carr said the government understood why the film company abandoned the appeal, because no company could afford to waste $500,000 a day.

The company was now looking for an alternative location in NSW, he said.

"We're going to work extra hard to see that no message is sent back to Hollywood about us being a difficult place to make movies," Mr Carr told Sydney radio 2UE.

"I think it's terribly disappointing though that a very selfish campaign, and a badly informed campaign, has produced a situation where all our success in getting international movie making in NSW has been disrupted."

Mr Carr said the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and the government had placed stringent restrictions on the company in order to ensure the environment was not damaged.

"(NPWS) thought it was manageable ... there were comprehensive restrictions," Mr Carr said.

In 78 days of shooting, the company would spend $130 million – a sum of money invaluable to NSW, the premier said.

"Out of this current film, Stealth, one boat builder in Sydney picked up a contract to provide them with a (fibreglass) Stealth bomber ... I don't know, but that could have been the biggest contract he had in 12 months," Mr Carr said.