Qualified support for lotto

Press, 26 December 1985, Page 1

Qualified support for lotto

“Introduce lotto,” say 70 per cent of people who were polled throughout New Zealand this month. But 54 per cent qualify their approval. They say lotto should be introduced only if the proceeds go towards sport, recreation, the arts and other community activities.

Twenty-three per cent oppose the introduction of lotto, with resistance noticeably greater among women than among men.

No opinion is expressed by 7 per cent. These findings emerge from a “New Zealand Herald”-National Research Bureau survey of 1000 men and 1000 women aged 16 and over in New Zealand’s 20 main population centres. Respondents were selected on a random probability basis, and interviews were conducted face-to-face between December 7 and 14.

Last month, a sports development inquiry headed by Sir Ronald Scott recommended that lotto be introduced to fund sport and community projects. The report said that the market for lotto was completely different from that of racing and that the two were complementary. However, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Tapsell, said that he had no doubt that if lotto were introduced, the Golden Kiwi lottery would disappear, and he would wait to see public reaction to the proposal.

Administrators of national recreation and sports organisations have backed the introduction of lotto. The racing industry, on the other hand, has told the Government that it is totally against lotto and that the industry would suffer badly from such a competitor if racing remained heavily regulated. In the “Herald”-N'.R.B. poll, people

were asked: “Which of the statements on this , card best matches your feelings, on whether lotto should be introduced into New Zealand as a new form of gambling?” ' ® The options on the card were: 1. Lotto should be introduced. 2. Lotto should be introduced only if the proceeds are to be used to support things like sport, recreation, the arts and other community activities. 3. Lotto should not be introduced. The responses were: Total Men Women

The poll figures are subject to a maximum statistical sampling error of plus or minus 2 per cent. Those against the introduction of lotto are more likely to be found among <• Those aged over 55 (38 per cent) than among those aged 55 and under (17 per cent). <• Those living in provincial centres (25 per cent) than among those living in the four metropolitan centres (21 per cent). i* Those living in the southern half of the South Island (30 per cent) than among those in the northern half of the North Island (21 per cent), the southern half of the North Island (23 per cent) and the northern half of the South Island (22 per cent). Copyright, 1985—“ New Zealand Herald.” TOMORROW: Attitudes to the Rainbow Warrior penalties.

Attitude % % % Introduce 16 18 14 Introduce only if proceeds support sports etc 54 55 53 Do not introduce 23 19 26 No opinion 7 8 7