In their first statement on yesterday's outcome of discussions between the Government and Warner Brothers, the couple said their production company Wingnut Films was thrilled with the decision.
"We are grateful to the Government for introducing legislation which shall give everyone in the film industry certainty as to their employment status,'' the pair, who were largely instrumental in bringing the Lord of the Rings trilogy to the screen, said.
"This clarification will provide much needed stability and reassurance for film workers as well as investors from within New Zealand and overseas.''
Jackson thanked Warner Brothers and New Line Cinema for their continued commitment to New Zealand.
"Their respect for the skill and talent of Kiwi crews and performers speaks for itself.''
Jackson said he felt enormous gratitude to the film technicians, actors and fans who came out in support of making the films in New Zealand.
"To the thousands of people who took the time to write and let us know they were with us - thank you. It made all the difference.''
Meanwhile, National has support from all its partner parties in moving to clarify industrial relations laws within the film industry, Economic Development Minister Gerry Brownlee says.
The Government is this afternoon pushing labour law amendments through Parliament under urgency as part of a deal with Warner Bros to ensure the two Hobbit movies are filmed in New Zealand.
Mr Brownlee said the bill would clarify that people employed as contractors on film productions were contractors and couldn't use courts to change their status to employees.
Prime Minister John Key and ministers spent Tuesday and Wednesday in crisis meetings with studio representatives to convince them to keep filming in New Zealand - something which looked shaky after actors' unions threatened industrial action over terms and conditions.
Warner Bros also pushed for a bigger tax break than the standard 15 percent for big movies, and requests for more sweeteners were partially met with a commitment by the Government to provide a $13 million marketing subsidy and an extra $20m tax break for the $630 million films.
Labour and the Greens have welcomed the fact the films will stay here, but expressed outrage that the Government had bowed to pressure from a business to have employment legislation changed.
The ACT Party and United Future supported the Government's moves, and Mr Brownlee said in Parliament today that the Maori Party had also come on board in support.
That gives the Government a clear voting majority of 69 to 53.
Mr Brownlee earlier told reporters the Government had been forced to offer more incentives than would have been the case ``had there not been that dreadful seven week period of threat and industrial action''.
The Australian-based Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), and New Zealand Actors Equity (NZAE), which initially rattled the cage with its demands, withdrew before Warners representatives arrived here and gave an assurance there would not be industrial action during filming.
The unions avoided commenting on the stoush today, but said they welcomed the news a deal had been negotiated to keep the films here.
Council of Trade Unions president Helen Kelly said no one would begrudge the films being shot here, but that it was outrageous and unnecessary to change labour laws at the request of a foreign corporation.
She said unions had given an assurance to Warner Bros that there wouldn't be disruptions to filming, but that had been undermined by Mr Key.
