Judy Kirk appointed to Chair Lotteries Commission

Retiring National Party president Judy Kirk has been appointed to chair the board of the New Zealand Lotteries Commission.

Minister of Internal Affairs Richard Worth today announced the appointment of Ms Kirk to a three-year term on the board, effective from 1 May 2009.

Dr Worth said Ms Kirk had been a strong and successful leader of the National Party in her time as president and those leadership skills would put her in good stead to lead the board.

Ms Kirk could also draw on her experience as Chair of the National Lotteries Welfare Distribution Board, and Chair of the Rotorua Regional Lottery Welfare Distribution Committee, from 1999 to 2004.

Dr Worth paid tribute to John Goulter, DCNZM, who is retiring from the board on 30 April 2009. “Mr Goulter has made a significant contribution during his two terms on the board – mainly as Chair – and I would like to thank him sincerely for his services.”

The Lotteries Commission is an autonomous Crown entity that operates under the Gambling Act 2003 and the Crown Entities Act 2004. Its function is to provide governance of the Lotteries business in order to raise money for the community through the provision of lottery games. Lotteries does not distribute the funds it raises – that is the responsibility of a separate entity, the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board.

Other current members of the board are Laura Humphreys of Wellington, John Wright of Rangiora and Chris Curley of Auckland. Dr Worth said there was one other vacancy on the board which would be filled once Ms Kirk joined the board to enable her to have an appropriate input into the candidate selection process.