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Home / New Zealand

Cost of Jonah Lomu memorial more than $90k

NZ Herald
15 Dec, 2015 03:32 AM2 mins to read

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The bill for the first event, Aho Faka Famili (Day of the Family), held on November 28, topped $90,000. Photo / Getty Images

The bill for the first event, Aho Faka Famili (Day of the Family), held on November 28, topped $90,000. Photo / Getty Images

The cost of a public memorial for rugby great Jonah Lomu was more than $90,000.

The All Blacks legend died last month, aged 40.

It is believed a blood clot on his lung, possibly as a result of his long-haul flight home from the UK, may have caused his death.

Two public memorials were held for the much-loved star, the first at the Vodafone Events Centre in South Auckland, the second at Eden Park.

The bill for the first event, Aho Faka Famili (Day of the Family), held on November 28, topped $90,000.

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Auckland Council organised the memorial, and has released the costs to ratepayers, which came in at $89,703.72.

"This was $44,039 for venue hire, $37,500 catering and $4687.50 security," the council said.

"The balance was made up of items including transport, photography, toilets, medical staff and in-memoriam books."

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A New Zealand Defence Force spokeswoman confirmed the service provided catering support for the November 28 memorial.

"Around 50 NZDF personnel were assigned to prepare hot meals for up to 2500 people and to carry out general support tasks," she said.

"The NZDF's contribution was at the direction of the Government and cost approximately $20,000."

The cost of the Government-funded Eden Park memorial is not yet known.

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However, Prime Minister John Key said at the time costs were likely to run into the hundreds of thousands, but he was not expecting the bill to be more than $300,000.

The memorial event, hosted by broadcaster John Campbell and shown all over the world, was attended by thousands of fans and rugby players who came to say farewell to Lomu.

His family, including wife Nadene and sons Dhyreille, 6, and Brayley, 5, who wore black T-shirts bearing the symbol of a silver fern with one leaf falling off, an image that went around the world after it was published on the front page of the Irish Examiner.

The costs of the memorial come as the Herald revealed today that Lomu died broke. The NZ Rugby Players Association has set up a trust to help his two boys.

The boys' mother Nadene, Lomu's third wife, will not be a beneficiary of the trust or have any control of the funds.

Auckland Council costs

• Venue hire $44,039
• Catering $37,500
• Security $4687.50
• Other $3477.22
• Total $89,703.72

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New Zealand Defence Force costs

• Catering services - $20,000

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