Makere Edmonds-Phillips in the ex-British Army FV432 APC vehicle on her dad's front lawn. Photo / Supplied
Makere Edmonds-Phillips in the ex-British Army FV432 APC vehicle on her dad's front lawn. Photo / Supplied
An Auckland woman attempting to raffle off an army armoured vehicle has found herself in hot water with internal affairs.
Makere Edmonds-Phillips took to Facebook last month in a bid to sell an ex-British Army FV432 APC vehicle that's been sitting on her father's front lawn in Orakeifor eight months.
The armoured personnel carrier was bought by her partner and a group of friends for $45,000 off Trade Me.
"They thought it was a cool idea to buy a tank," Edmonds-Phillips said.
"It was going to be used for entertainment purposes and taken up to a piece of land, but the plans changed are we were attempting to sell it for what we purchased it for."
The armoured vehicle has sat on Edmonds-Phillips' dad's front lawn in the east Auckland suburb of Orakei for eight months. Photo / Supplied
Instead, the armoured vehicle has sat idle on her father's front lawn, with the occasional drive backwards and forwards across the lawn.
After failed attempts to sell the vehicle for the purchase price, Edmonds-Phillips concocted the plan to sell 500 raffle tickets at $100, giving each person the chance to win the vehicle.
"We saw no harm in it because you see a lot of raffles, and I didn't think too much about it," she said.
"It became quite famous after we put it on Facebook because it's so unusual. Then media started picking up on it and there was a lot of hype around it - my phone just went crazy with people asking for tickets."
However, five days after the tickets started selling, Edmonds-Phillips was contacted by The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).
"They said someone had complained and we had to shut it down due to legal matters."
The FV432 was the British Army's first purpose-built armoured personnel carrier, which started life on the drawing board in the late 1950s. Photo / Supplied
The DIA website states that under the Gambling Act 2003 people are required to get a Class 3 gambling licence where prizes offered or awarded in the gambling activity exceed $5000.
Edmonds-Phillips said she announced the cancellation to all ticket purchasers and has started the refund process. About 200 people had already purchased tickets.
"Everybody was upset. I feel so sorry for those people who had purchased tickets, but I'm surprised by their reaction - they have been really supportive and want us to push to get another one going.
"So we spoke to a lawyer over the weekend and are working to get the Class 3 licence."
DIA deputy director of gambling regulations, Charlotte Stanley, said they are working with the raffle holder to ensure there is understanding around gambling rules in New Zealand.
"Under New Zealand's gambling legislation, the raffle needs a licence and must be run by an authorised society. And as the raffle was run online it's classified as 'remote interactive gambling' and is against the law," she said.
"We empathise with the raffle-holder and hope that this is an opportunity to remind everyone of the gambling regulations on our website.
"We would like to thank Makere for her constructive response."
Edmonds-Phillips said she'd also had offers to buy the vehicle, but she now felt obligated to pursue the raffle.
"I feel really terrible that it came to that, because people were so into it, so I owe it to them to get another one going," she said.
Edmonds-Phillips said she would be sad to see the vehicle sold, as it held special meaning for her family.
"It's pretty much like part of the family. It's going to be sad to see it go. Even when we still drive past my mum and dad's house I'm like 'man, I can't believe we own a tank'.
"It's not something you see every day, and it's parked on a main street so a lot of people drive past, stop and take photos.
