Australian Central Community Lottery

It’s great to see business supporting the non-profit sector. The Australian Central Community Lottery continues to provide significant levels of funds for schools, clubs and so on. Have a look here for more information about how the lottery works.

It is hardly surprising that many non-profit organisations, including schools, have jumped on the bandwagon. After all, the lottery offers funds for schools with little risk attached. All the school has to do is keep accurate records of ticket sales, mostly for statutory reasons – the conduct of lotteries is indeed highly regulated in Australia.

I was, in my previous post, concerned that schools don’t seem to comply with the rules and regulation about lotteries. That type of non-complying behaviour can only tarnish the image schools present to children, parents and the wider-community.

‘Plugger’, responded to my previous post by saying:

Too true. The thing I hate the most is when the bastards send lottery tickets home for us to sell WITHOUT asking us first

What an apt comment. Recently, the school my child attends sent home lottery tickets issued by the Australian Central Community Lottery. Sending home unsolicited lottery tickets for sale seems to be in breach of the regulations about the conduct of lotteries. The rules about the conduct of Major Lotteries can be found in Section 20 of the Lottery and Gaming Regulations. Subsection (o) spells out the state of the law in crystal clear language:

a ticket in the lottery must not be given or posted to a person for sale to or by that person without his or her prior consent

It was in consideration of ‘Plugger’s’ comment and my reading of the regulations about lotteries that prompted me to speak with other parents about schools sending home lottery tickets for sale without asking first. Well, what a surprise. Parents were mostly disgruntled by the apparently wide-spread practice with one claiming it was a type of bullying. Using the term ‘bullying‘ might be a little extreme but its use nonetheless indicates something about how many parents perceive schools. That is, they feel intimidated by the school and feel obliged to purchase the tickets even though they don’t really want to. You don’t have to be too bright to work out that’s the precise reason for the prohibition on sending home lottery tickets without first obtaining the consent of parents.

It is unacceptable to create a situation where people feel obligated when, in reality, no obligation exists

On the other hand, some parents have no problem at all with the practice and put forward the view that schools need the funds and lotteries are a good fundraising mechanism. In this view, parents should willingly contribute by purchasing tickets without worrying about the process. That is, the great outcome – funds for the school – is the sole issue at stake.

I can see the merits in both points of view. However, all fundraising activities should comply with the law. I am sure Australian Central would be very unhappy with any non-profit entities that don’t carefully follow the rules. Not only does it make the non-profit organisation look shoddy, it also reflects poorly on Australian Central.

The non-profit sector need funds. Business can play an important role, as indeed the Australia Central Lottery example demonstrates. However, the enthusiasm of fundraisers does not stand alone. Yes, we are all grateful for the efforts of the fundraising groups within our schools – but their activities must comply with the law. If they don’t it can only jeopardise wonderful innovative arrangements like the Australian Central Community Lottery.