Cyclone Gabrielle: Lotto draw raises $11.7 million for cyclone relief

The $15 million Powerball prize had to be won last night.

Kiwis have “exceeded all expectations” in raising $11.7 million for cyclone relief in last night’s special Lotto draw.

One lucky player in Canterbury won $15 million in the ‘must be won’ draw, the tenth such draw in Lotto history.

Half of all ticket sales went to support communities hit by Cyclone Gabrielle and Lotto NZ Chief Executive Chris Lyman was full of praise for “generous” Kiwis.

“We can’t thank Lotto players throughout Aotearoa enough for throwing their weight behind this important cause and helping to raise such an incredible amount of money,” he said in a statement.

Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds said the funds “will make a huge difference in helping people and businesses recover and build back better.

“In a time of need, New Zealanders rally together to help each other. This is a fantastic effort and I want to thank everyone across the country who contributed to the draw,” Edmonds said.

Separately, the Cyclone Gabrielle Appeal Fund has also raised over $830,000 for affected communities and Edmonds said it was “humbling” to see the donations continue to rise.

Similar special draws were held following the Christchurch Earthquake in 2011, which raised more than $8.2 million, and the Kaikōura/Hurunui earthquake in 2016, which raised $3m for those affected.

The special Lotto draw has had detractors, however, with anti-gambling activists saying it was “disappointing” to see the Government using a gambling operator for community funding.

Green Party finance spokeswoman Julie Anne Genter also shot back at the fundraising scheme, and questioned why the Government couldn’t instead “tax the billions of dollars banks have made in unearned, excess profits and use the money to support people”.

But the Wairoa mayor Craig Little welcomed the initiative, telling the Herald last month that the Lotto draw was a “wonderful idea”.

“I think it is a great initiative to kick something off,” Little said.

Little said that in the short term the money raised from the Lotto draw, the global fundraising appeal and other community initiatives such as the mayoral relief fund and Givealittle pages will be used to get those displaced back into liveable homes.

“The long-term goal is looking at how we can ensure it never happens again,” the Wairoa mayor said, although he doesn’t know what that will look like at this stage.

“It certainly can’t carry on like this.”

Little said his biggest concern at this stage was the Government “keeping their promises” when it comes to funding for flood-stricken communities.

“They’re doing enough as long as they keep their promises,” he said.