Well done on your report (April 3) on the special Long Term Plan meeting that the council convened to consider the velodrome issue, which in giving the public some clarity of the issues, seemed to
Letters: Velodrome options put trust on sideline
Letter showed respect
Regarding Robyn Szabo's letter (April 15) I would be as affronted as she if I thought the Prime Minister was being disrespectful, but I don't believe that this is the case.
Times have changed, and increasingly people choose to adopt a more personal tone to convey sincerity rather than use formal, impersonal language.
I would say the PM showed respect by writing in a manner that was clearly personal and appropriate for a message of sympathy - and not a message that could have been dashed off by a staff member for her to sign.
COLIN McKINNEY
Whanganui East
Housing policy
Re Martin Visser's letter (April 14). Governments are good at infrastructure so to help the housing shortage they should do what they are good at, buy the land, establish the infrastructure, lease the sections for five years to first home buyers, or perhaps any buyers who don't own a home, with a purchase price included.
That means they don't need as much capital to reach the 20 per cent for loan requirements. After five years they should have paid off enough for the bank to back them in the purchase of the section.
This approach would relieve the Government as to the build, leaving the purchasers to build to their requirements and affordability.
GARTH SCOWN
Whanganui