Every night we’re bombarded on TV News with undoubtedly worthy charities/organisations calling for government support to help them maintain their services over the period of the Covid-19 crisis and beyond. Tonight it was the YMCA and Royal Albatross Centre in Dunedin. Sorry folks … the world/NZL has changed and the government (any government) has to prioritise its spending … put simply, there ain’t the dosh to sustain both the want to haves and the nice to haves over the must haves.
Since 1993 I have been involved with a Trust that provides the children & grandchildren of Vietnam veterans with the wherewithal to help them realise their dreams. Over that period we (the royal we) have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to create a capital fund with the interest on our investments being distributed by way of grants which now total over 600, Over the last few years the earning rate on our investment portfolio has halved reflecting the decline in interest rates and bonds. Over the last six weeks the value of the equities in our investment portfolio has declined by about 30% reflecting the reality of the share-market.
My colleague trustees could have cried poor us and sought a government handout. We didn’t. Instead we faced up to reality and changed the way that donations to the Trust and the fees charged by Perpetual Guardian (the Trustee) were handled. The net result has been to increase the amount available in our distribution account.
The nest few years are going to be tough. We recognise that … but equally we accept its not the responsibility of the taxpayer to come to the party. The future is in our hands … our challenge is to make it happen and we are working on that. If any of you would like to contribute to the work of the Trust then you can direct credit your donation to Perpetual Guardian account ID 03-0104-0984913-01. Be sure to tag it #415670 in the reference column (the Trust’s reference number). All donations are receipted and are tax deductible.
Thanking you in advance.
No Minister 