Balls not falling for lottery

PLANS for a sports lottery to fund an Australian Olympic revival are meeting resistance from the nation’s peak lottery association.

Submissions close on Monday into the national sports plan, to form the government’s sporting blueprint.

A national lottery to fund athletes, mooted as worth about $50 million a year, is being pushed by the Australian Olympic Committee and Australian Sports Commission.

Sports Minister Greg Hunt has said a lottery was a sensible idea, if legislated and regulated, and a goal of the Government.

But Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association says the sports funds could take lottery taxes that go to hospitals, schools and charities.

“It seems they’re running full steam ahead . . . without doing enough consultation,” association chief executive Adam Joy said yesterday.

“It just doesn’t make sense to take it away to fund sports.”

Every year, $1.6 billion in lottery taxes is delivered to state and territory governments, Joy said.

He said instead of a lottery, the Government should introduce a consumption tax on online betting companies.

“Online wagering companies are benefiting considerably from sport and therefore should have a role in supporting it,” he said.

Joy conceded his association faced an uphill fight, given the Government and high-powered support for the lottery, which is also ear- marked to boost sports participation funding.

Great Britain introduced a national sports lottery and has recorded best results yet at the past three Olympic Games.

Australia’s medal hauls have dropped at the past four Games — the 29 medals in Rio were the fewest since 1992. AAP