There is no doubt that kiwis are having to be a bit more careful as to how they spend their discretionary dollars, especially now that President Trump is playing games with the world economy and the cost of living is still at an all time high.  Our weekly turnover figures are consistently lower than normal and sadly the biggest flow on effect is the reduced amount that we have available for distribution back in to the local communities in which we have a presence.

It has become obvious that the regulators, as well as the Minister of Internal Affairs, have complete disregard for the role Class 4 societies play in supporting community activities, given their openly stated support for licensing online gambling here in NZ.  Apparently it’s all about an increased tax take for the government and so communities will have to fend for themselves because there is no doubt there will be a huge downside for class 4 societies as well as the venue operators.  As a side issue, I find it unbelievable that illegally operating unlicensed online operators will still be able to compete with those that are licensed, albeit they are supposedly not allowed to advertise their wares.  We all know that almost every web page that one opens these days tells us about what these illegal online gaming sites are offering players and I am certain that they will continue to push the boundaries.

Pleasingly, our annual distribution percentage as at 31^st March 2025 was 43.51%, which highlights the fact that TTCF takes its role as a community funder very seriously indeed.  Our distribution was well spread across the four main categories as is illustrated in the table below i.e. Community Wellbeing (44%); Education (15%); Environment, Heritage & Arts (12%); and Sport & Recreation (29%).  I and my fellow directors are very conscious of the fact that each region’s local needs and priorities are often quite different and so we consciously adjust our funding strategies to suit.

The introduction of new harm minimisation regulations in December 2023 has created a real issue for venue operators and their staff because of the amount of time and effort they are expected to dedicate to their gaming machine operation, which as we all know is not their primary activity.  TTCF personnel have openly embraced the regulatory requirements and while unannounced venue inspections have highlighted some shortfalls on occasions, we will continue to do everything we can to up the ante in the areas that have been highlighted.

We already have one online training module available for venue personnel and shortly will be introducing a second one that is completely focussed on the current regulatory requirements.  Our Area Manager’s continue to provide ongoing face to face support and advice to our venues.

As stated in previous years, TTCF would be lost without the support and dedication shown by our very loyal and dedicated venue operators and their key personnel.  A big thank you to all concerned and hopefully the introduction of licensed online gambling does not have too much of a negative impact on your businesses.

I also want to take a moment to thank the dedicated TTCF team for consistently giving your best effort. It’s clear that everything is being managed effectively, as the board hasn’t needed to intervene in day-to-day operations for as long as I can recall. Keep up the great work!

Lastly, I’d like to express my gratitude to our Executive Director, Warwick Hodder, as well as my fellow Directors—Horace McAuley, Gary Williams, and Ross Clow. I truly value the camaraderie we share during our monthly meetings and look forward to continuing our collaboration in the future.

Yours sincerely,

Warren Flaunty QSM

Chairman