The question is, will Inland Revenue accept old Lotto tickets as charity donation receipts?
A question posed by a dear friend who has, unsuccessfully, presented the idea, and the tickets, to the tax people in the hope of a consideration.
When we buy a Lotto ticket, we do so with the expectation that there is no hope of return, except the warm glow that goes with donating to a worthy cause. While there might be some vague concept of prize money, the amount is so ridiculously high that we know it's a joke and no-one is expected to win it. Ergo, the money we spend on Lotto tickets must be a donation and able to be claimed on our tax return.
The Lotteries Commission is one of the best organised charities in the country, using the services of thousands of "volunteers" across New Zealand. There are donation stations in every major shopping centre and the money raised puts other charities to shame.
Their generosity is as widespread as their tickets' availability, with cash grants going to needy groups and organisations everywhere. Ask any charity fundraising manager, and a grant application to the Lotteries Commission is part of the day's work.
We contribute to that vast fund and its philanthropic purposes by buying Lotto tickets and donating to the cause.
We therefore donate to charity, therefore the tickets are donation receipts.
An annual conundrum has reared its head a little earlier than usual, giving it more of a perennial status - Easter trading.
Once upon a time, when we inhabited a different planet and things were simpler, retailers opened their stores five days a week, with one evening designated for late night shopping. The occasional rebellious shop opened on a Saturday morning. The question of Easter trading was never posed because there was no issue.
As time progressed and the consumer became progressively greedier, demanding access to goods and services at all times of the day, night or week, businesses extended their opening hours to cater for the new expectations. The only places not doing so were banks, local municipal offices and Government departments. As things changed in favour of the shopper, the demand got even greater until we arrive at our present situation. Many shops are now open seven days a week and for longer each day. So when the Government - still operating under its own traditional limited trading hours - suggests that some retailers should close on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and gives that suggestion force by making it law, questions are raised as to how it was decided which retailers can and which can't operate under those conditions.
With the Shop Trading Hours Amendment Bill, passed this year, the Government took the easy option and ran away from it, passing responsibility and the accompanying ill feeling to local councils which would have to deal with the problem themselves. In the case of Whanganui, a decision has been shelved for another year and things stand as they have done since Government dictated who could and who could not open for business.
Making the issue a local one means it will be easier for people's opinions to be heard, and they will, no doubt, be legion. Lobby groups and individuals have much better access to local government, but is this something that our councillors should have to deal with?
There is a case for keeping businesses closed and allowing retailers and their staff to enjoy family time and leisure during a traditional holiday. Church groups would probably also see it that way, with the added extra of making time for observance of a religious holiday.
But we're not all Christians and many are happy to work over a period which means nothing to them except the possibility of more customers.
I don't see why some places can open and others can not, due to some vague ruling that has something to do with "essential" services and food preparation and nothing to do with practicality or Christianity. The ruling seems arbitrary and has been argued against for years. Perhaps the council will change that when it makes a decision, but then we have another problem.
If Whanganui District Council decides a ruling and Whanganui businesses abide (or not) by that ruling, what happens in other local government districts? I can see confusion for the poor tourist, finding shops open in one place and closed in another and no way of knowing until they get there.
A ruling will have nothing to do with personal conscience and everything to do with bureaucracy. The District Council will decide and retailers will have to comply. There are some business owners on council and it's only natural they will take their own circumstances into account when making a decision, but it is something we will not see before Easter next year.
