Post offices to sell Lotto

Press, 29 June 1987, Page 3

Post offices to sell Lotto

PA Nelson Twelve New Zealand post offices will take on a markedly different job from July 22, selling tickets in the gambling game, Lotto. The post offices have been selected by the Lotteries Commission after an application by New Zealand Post after it began as an independent organisation in April. They will be among more than 500 national outlets for Lotto that will sell coupons on a commission basis.

The other post offices selling Lotto will be in Christchurch, Levin, Eketahuna, Ohakune, Pahia, Mission Bay, Opunake, Greytown,

Tuakau, Waipukurau and Fairlie. The Nelson district manager for New Zealand Post, Mr John Christie, said the change was part of the “new look post office” and followed the offices acting as sales agents for an international circus. “It is no different from a tobacconist selling lottery tickets,” he said.

“I believe there will be some adverse comment by some people, but I think the various points have been well answered by the Minister of Internal Affairs.”

The general manager of marketing and product development with New Zealand Post, Mr John

Dempster, said there was nothing unusual in the new arrangement for post offices, because they had acted as an agent for government departments for many years. As many as 50 agency services had been offered, including offering a registry office for poultry runs. “We have a network of retail outlets out there, and we are prepared to handle any legitimate agency work,” Mr Dempster said.

Many post offices were in a loss situation and were being subsidised. Agency work such as Lotto would help make the offices more viable.

“We are looking at all opportunities that come

along,” he said. "In particular we are looking across the Tasman to what Australia Post is doing. Their offices handle sales of cards and writing goods, applications for passports and some forms of insurance. “We will look at a range of these things. If they are profitable and they are suitable, we would consider them.”

Asked if there might be any opposition to gambling in a post office, Mr Dempster said: “That sort of attitude has almost gone now. We are dealing with a Government organised and backed activity. That is good enough for us. It is no different to buying a kiwi ticket.”