The guy is an idiot and should not be running a business.

To be fair, some people people buy lotto tickets because they think they will win the big one, so people don't always look or understand the statistics.  IF there were only 100 people in the crowd, then statistically people may have been able to make $1000. But not when there is 1000 or more people. Someone would  have had to be very lucky or would be jumping all over people snatching..

Loismustdye: And if he was travelling from palmy then would it not make sense that there would likely be thousands of people attending that lived in Akld and didn’t have to travel.

gzt:

Loismustdye: And if he was travelling from palmy then would it not make sense that there would likely be thousands of people attending that lived in Akld and didn’t have to travel.

No, it wasn't an open event. This was a ticketed event by the company.

Loismustdye:

What a beat up

the surgery to my knowledge is on the taxpayer, and when staying in welly etc at Ronald McDonald house the accommodation is free, and there is also apparently two meals/day provided. Even if this wasn’t the case there is the National travel assistance fund which pays for travel and accommodation if it’s needed to travel out of district, this guy and his family would know all about this as this would have been part of the information they would have received when informed about the surgery and the need to travel out of town. The medication required will be provided as well as is most medications for children, especially for a publicly funded operation, at most he would have to pay the $5 fee or whatever the pharmacy might charge.
And let’s not forget the myriad of social workers within the health sector that Are there in order to help people in exactly this Type of situation.

gzt:
I would not put money on all of that. Poverty advocates constantly find people in trouble are not getting the assistance they are entitled to for one reason or another. Sometimes a case of - if you don't know you don't ask, and if you don't ask you don't get.

Not to mention the scandals about certain social government agency employees getting bonuses for not offering everything someone may be entitled to

gzt:

Loismustdye:

What a beat up

the surgery to my knowledge is on the taxpayer, and when staying in welly etc at Ronald McDonald house the accommodation is free, and there is also apparently two meals/day provided. Even if this wasn’t the case there is the National travel assistance fund which pays for travel and accommodation if it’s needed to travel out of district, this guy and his family would know all about this as this would have been part of the information they would have received when informed about the surgery and the need to travel out of town. The medication required will be provided as well as is most medications for children, especially for a publicly funded operation, at most he would have to pay the $5 fee or whatever the pharmacy might charge.
And let’s not forget the myriad of social workers within the health sector that Are there in order to help people in exactly this Type of situation.

I would not put money on all of that. Poverty advocates constantly find people in trouble are not getting the assistance they are entitled to for one reason or another. Sometimes a case of - if you don't know you don't ask, and if you don't ask you don't get.

snnet:

gzt:
I would not put money on all of that. Poverty advocates constantly find people in trouble are not getting the assistance they are entitled to for one reason or another. Sometimes a case of - if you don't know you don't ask, and if you don't ask you don't get.

Not to mention the scandals about certain social government agency employees getting bonuses for not offering everything someone may be entitled to

Loismustdye:

 

What a beat up

 

....

 

Sadly, and I don’t mean to be unkind but it’s true, the kind of person who would bus from Palmerston North with no return funds to obtain free money in a Lolly scramble for cataract surgery is unlikely to have the capability to investigate social assistance options of the type you outline.

At least David Latelli (excuse spelling) did something positive and $1,200 is not to be sneezed at for such a person.

The main victim is the child in this single case. 

I think it just showed the terrible desperation some people are under. A lolly scramble with money IMO was never a good idea, and surprised the council approved the square to be used for that purpose. I don't think I have heard anything from the Mayor about it.   The Prime Minister even said she couldn't understand why anyone would have thought it was a good idea. .

Loismustdye

Pretty sure thats not DHBs, which are who would be involved with the accommodation and travel in this case.

No, it wasn't DHBs, I was talking about the broader scale of people who needed help

That's not to say our health system is flawless. I personally know of a few cases where nursing staff just don't want to come out to the wops no matter the entitlements (when patients are unable to relocate). Of course that's not a blanket thing going on, but it does happen

Loismustdye:

 

https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/new-zealand/2020/12/empty-handed-attendee-of-auckland-cash-drop-given-second-chance-by-kiwi-to-fund-newborn-son-s-surgery.html 

 

What a beat up

 

the surgery to my knowledge is on the taxpayer, and when staying in welly etc at Ronald McDonald house the accommodation is free, and there is also apparently two meals/day provided. Even if this wasn’t the case there is the National travel assistance fund which pays for travel and accommodation if it’s needed to travel out of district, this guy and his family would know all about this as this would have been part of the information they would have received when informed about the surgery and the need to travel out of town. The medication required will be provided as well as is most medications for children, especially for a publicly funded operation, at most he would have to pay the $5 fee or whatever the pharmacy might charge.

I agree that it's an exaggerated sob story, and not completely accurate.

But my neighbour (who had used it) said that Ronald McDonald house wasn't free, and in fact cost about the same price as a motel.

I think we'd all agree that this guy isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, and so possibly didn't know about the national travel assistance fund. NB that it's not universal... I was flown to Wellington (for free) for surgery, and had to find (and pay) my own way back home. I don't know whether eligibility includes parents of a child patient.

Yes, there's the $5 pharmacy fee, each time he gets a prescription, until his family hits whatever the annual amount cap is, and then it's free for the rest of the year. For some people who live payday to payday, there isn't money for this.

It may also be that he will lose wages he can ill afford every time he goes to Wellington. And there may be several trips, for the surgery and followup outpatient appointments.

Just received:

Commerce Commission media release – Commission to investigate Safety Warehouse “The Drop” event

 

Media Release
Issued 9 December 2020
Release No. 64 

 

Commission to investigate Safety Warehouse “The Drop” event
The Commerce Commission has opened an investigation into representations made by Greenback Ecommerce Limited trading as The Safety Warehouse in relation to the “The Drop” event of 5 December.

 

The investigation will be into whether any representations about the event breached the Fair Trading Act 1986 (FT Act) which prohibits misleading and deceptive conduct. The FT Act is one of the Acts enforced by the Commission.

 

As at 12m on 9 December the Commission had received nine complaints about the matter, including two complaints referred to it by NZ Police.

 

As the investigation is now underway the Commission will make no further comment at this time and will not be providing interviews.

I do wonder how resourced they are. I have contacted them recently about a business and never got a reply for anyone.

mattwnz: I think it just showed the terrible desperation some people are under....

The vast majority of the population would not/did not fall for this scam because everyone with any sense knows that no one just throws away $100K.

This type of promotion/scam attracts the desperate not simply because they lack cash but because the same lack of sense that would lead you to fall for such a scam would also mean you're predisposed to being broke.  

This was was definitely a scam and always about the media publicity, never about the people that turned up. The organiser would know that the kind of people to fall for this scam are not going to be spending money on or require vouchers for the promoted services and products.