WA’s Community Funder Turns 80

West Australia’s Lotterywest is celebrating 80 years as the State’s official lottery and major funding body for state charities.

WA Premier Colin Barnett said Lotterywest had shared almost $12billion – $8billion to lottery winners and almost $4billion to community projects – since it was established in 1933.

Barnett said Lotterywest was unique because it was the only lottery in Australia where proceeds were returned directly back to the community.

“It is one of the few lotteries in the world and the only one in this country where the proceeds raised are directed straight back into the community for the benefit of all of us,” he said.

“It’s not only about the money itself, it’s also about the strong leadership of Lotterywest which works in partnership with the organisations it supports.”

The Premier said WA’s public hospitals, sports and arts organisations and community groups had shared in almost $4billion raised by Lotterywest.

During an official event on Monday (June 17), the Premier will launch a book on Lotterywest called One Moment in Time.

The book grew from a study to evaluate the impact of Lotterywest on the West Australian community and contains the stories of 80 different individuals and organisations which have been supported in some way by Lotterywest.

“This book is a tribute to the community sector and its work in making WA a better place for us all,” Barnett said.
“It confirms the vision of the founders of Lotterywest back in the 1930s to create a lottery which would belong to the community and would use the funds they raised for the benefit of the community.”

For every dollar West Australians spend on Lotterywest games each week, 33 cents is returned to the community.