Main Source Of Funding Is Gone, Thanks To Judge

The Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust in New Zealand is grounded for now. It's lost its main source of revenue -- $4 million a year from slot machines.

In fact, the Rescue Helicopter Trust got about 70-percent of its funding from gaming, while a related charity, the Child Flight Trust, gets about 21-percent of its total budget from the slots and the tables. The two trusts grew very big in a very short period of time. They had so much money, in fact, that the trusts turned around and invested in the very "pubs" that helped them get started. That's when investigators said enough was enough.

The problem is involved in allegations that some of the money is being siphoned off by local bar owners who are also trust board members. "The decision will benefit the community by confirming that money raised for charities goes to charities, not to pubs," said Keith Manch, the general manager of gaming and censorship.

"We are considering Justice [Rhys] Harrison's judgement. We are not in a position to comment at this time," was all Rescue Helicopter Trust chief executive Rea Wikaira would say. The main source of the trust funds came from Goldtimes, an Auckland casino. Goldtimes' license has been revoked and the company itself is in the middle of a 16-month investigation by New Zealand federal officials.

FMI: www.rescuehelicopter.org.nz