Sixteen workers at Altona’s doomed Toyota plant won $15 million in last Tuesday night’s Oz Lotto draw.
Syndicate members, aged in their early-30s to mid-50s, will each receive more than $937,000 from the
division 1 jackpot.
About 2500 workers at the Altona plant last week voted on a redundancy package for when they lose their jobs in 2017.
One winner said his workmates thought he was playing a prank when he told them they had won.
“When I called everyone … they thought I was just joking around, but I said, ‘I wouldn’t be ringing you this late to play games – we’ve won Oz Lotto!’
“We’re all planning to do things like pay off the mortgage and take a holiday.”
Another winner said he wouldn’t quit his job but would use the money for his retirement and pay off his son’s mortgage.
“I’m pretty conscientious … I’ll continue to work now that I’ve won, but down the track this prize money will be like a retirement bonus for me.’’
Toyota spokeswoman Beck Angel said the news was very exciting. “That said, they are wanting to keep their identities under wrap, so [there’s] not much I can say except that we are thrilled for them.”
The $30 million jackpot was shared with a couple from the Gold Coast. The Altona workers bought their winning ticket at The Pines Lotto and Confectionery in Doncaster East.
Goya Dmytryshchak
