Who needs six years to find a lottery ticket?

The $20 million winner of last weeks NSW Lottery has yet to claim their prize. If the prize is not claimed by Dec 1, 2016 the unclaimed winnings are forfeited to the state government.

Six years and three months is a hell of a long time to be allowed to find a lottery ticket - and a hell of a long time for $20 million to be sitting around doing nothing - until of course it is forfeited to the state government where it will still sit around doing nothing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not some sort of unrealistic killjoy, but it should not be up to NSW State Lottery to find the winner - it should be the responsibility of the ticket holder to take care of the ticket in the first place - and check. It doesn't take six years to find or check a bloody lottery ticket.

A reasonable amount of time should be allowed for the winner to make a claim, but not six years - a few months at most is quite sufficient.

There is a lot that can be achieved with $20 million - now, not in six years time. Unflued gas-heaters could be removed from schools, hospital beds added to an ailing health system which in itself is a lottery, communication networks upgraded - unfulfilled government promises finally fulfilled perhaps? Even donations to nations who kick us in the teeth until disaster strikes, then hold their hands out for aid, most of which is never seen by those in actual need.

Why should $20 million sit idle just because someone couldn't take care of a ticket?

Wherever you may be - be safe
Copyright Mike Hitchen Online, Lane Cove, NSW, Australia. All rights reserved