On Saturday, Prime Minister Bill English upped the ante with a $6 million contribution to the Whanganui velodrome project.
New Labour leader Jacinda Ardern is coming here on September 18 ... do I hear $12 million?
Cynical people call these "bribes" and refer to "pork barrel politics".
But, hey - cynics or not - we'll take it. Haven't we complained long and hard about government neglect of the regions in general, and Whanganui in particular ... the loss of jobs, the Auckland-centric myopia of the administration?
The port revitalisation and the establishment of a regional facility at the velodrome are huge projects for our town, both critical in ensuring Whanganui's future.
It's election time, and we are not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
The velodrome, in particular, is a project that has been championed by retiring MP Chester Borrows and its successful conclusion would be a fitting tribute to him, and the other locals who have fought for it.
It was heart-warming to hear Ms Ardern, at the second televised leaders' debate, say Mr Borrows was the one National MP she would have in her team.
Maybe she was still enthused by his entertaining valedictory speech in Parliament the week before, or maybe she was responding to his soft-centre as opposed to hard-right place on the political spectrum.
Either way, it was a deserved compliment from the opposition camp.
