Press Release - For Immediate Release
Headline: NZ Board Game Publisher Criticizes Team-Up!
Summary:
Matt Taylor, designer of the board game BreakScore, says "the Ministry of Education's Team-Up website has laudable aims,
but its promotion of overseas owned board games over NZ board games is lamentable" and he claims the site is flawed as
it promotes one of the largest suppliers to the global gambling industry, despite pledging "it does not support or
encourage gambling in any way!"
Body:
Matt Taylor, designer of the board game BreakScore, says "it's simply not good enough that the Ministry of Education's
Team-Up website, promoted by former All Black captain Tana Umaga, only recommends generic and proprietary board games
owned by US corporations. Taylor is also scathing that while a direct link to one of the largest suppliers of gaming
cards to the global casino industry is provided, no links to NZ made board games have been provided."
Taylor who's board game BreakScore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakscore was first published 24 years ago and is now
in its 5th edition, says "Team-Up's decision not to recommend that families consider NZ made board games is fatuous,
flawed and mis-guided. He says, "it is no longer acceptable for government agencies to discriminate against of the work
of NZ artists, composers, writers and film-makers, and the work of NZ board game designers should not be the exception."
Taylor says "BreakScore is as good a family game, if not better, than any family games produced overseas" and urges
immediate action be taken so that families accessing the Team-Up website are at the least given the opportunity to
consider board games that are made in NZ. Furthermore, Taylor also calls for Team-Up to honour or remove its
anti-gambling pledge.
ENDS