Whanganui letters: Thanks for supporting a great Vintage Weekend

Photo / Mark Brimblecombe Photography

Opinion

In this photo, taken at the opening ceremony, are most of the key contributors to Vintage Weekend’s success. Mayor Andrew Tripe, Whanganui MP Steph Lewis, Ritesh Verma of Property Brokers, members of the Whanganui Vintage Weekend Trust, WVWT event manager Shanti Sibbing, Mainstreet Whanganui, Whanganui Vintage Car Club, event managers and even some with vintage steampunk stylings - every one of them members of our Whanganui community.

What an incredible Vintage Weekend, filled with good vibes, great people and gorgeous weather to boot. Weren’t we so very lucky?

A huge thank you to all of the amazing businesses, groups and individuals who came on board and delivered some truly outstanding events and attractions. We hope you all had an extremely enjoyable and successful experience.

Thank you to everyone who came from near and far to partake in this year’s Whanganui Vintage Weekend.

Last but certainly not least, a massive shout-out to our amazing sponsors and supporters, who made this incredible 10th anniversary Vintage Weekend possible:

Principal sponsor Property Brokers Whanganui; strategic partners Whanganui & Partners and Whanganui District Council; sponsors and in-kind support Downer Group Whanganui, Whanganui River Markets, Wanganui Insurance Brokers, New Zealand Media & Entertainment (NZME); and main supporters Mainstreet Whanganui, Plumber Dan and Wanganui Vintage Car Club.

Also, a big thank you to everyone who supports and contributes to this much-loved community event.

BRUCE JELLYMAN

Whanganui Vintage Weekend Trust chairman

Tell us the facts

Garth Scown (Letters, January 28) would be more likely to persuade others to his point of view if he provided some proof of his assertions.

For the benefit of those who do not have the statistics at their fingertips, could Mr Scown please provide information to support the following claims he has made?

“John Key and Bill English concentrated on getting our government debt down.” What was the level of debt at the end of Michael Cullen’s term compared with the debt at the end of Bill English’s term?

“The wealth creators have become desperate.” Most other democratic societies have seen a huge increase in the wealth of their richest citizens over the term of the pandemic. Has the wealth disparity in our country followed a similar trajectory?

“The Government is spending heaps of printed money.” During the Covid years, the United Kingdom, United States, Brazil and Australia, to name just four conservative-leaning administrations among many, all used quantitative easing as an economic tool. How does the amount “printed” by New Zealand compare with those and many other capitalist nations?

Sweeping statements free from factual foundations are no more than mere propaganda. If you wish to convince people of the validity of your arguments, reinforce them with facts.

GRAHAM WOOD

St Johns Hill