Developed a new business plan for @independentaus. It's a work-in-progress, but because I rate the intelligence of my tweeps - and indeed, Twitter, overall, because I think it is the platform that attracts the highest IQs (even after Musk) - I'm thinking of sharing its essence. The basic idea is we can keep on doing things as we have been. The media and information generally is changing rapidly. One of the great attributes of being small is - to use a much, much overused buzzword - that we can be nimble. Adapt quickly. Be prepared to innovate readily.

I've been up all night, speaking all manner of tomfoolery, and a little bit of truth, too... But now I'm going to thread you the real deal. Brace yourself, because some of this may not sound too pretty. Now, @independentaus is not going doing the gurgler. We have about 2300 paid subscribers, which is pretty much exactly the same number we had when Covid struck, a few years ago. But not growing, in this trade, is dying.

I believe my @Twitter shadow ban began after I published the following far less than flattering article about the controversial current owner back in mid-November: independentaustralia.net/business/busin… I suspected Musk would traduce Twitter and bend it to his own ends. That might be acceptable if Musk bought the local community paper, however these social media behemoths are, in their own way, these days more influential than the biggest countries.

I usually wouldn't do this, but I have to share with the Twitter fraternity, who have been so good to me for so long, some disappointing news. News that has made me feel pretty disconsolate right now, to be perfectly frank (though I'm sure I will be back to my normal sense soon). As you may know, that brave little news service I founded, @independentaus, operates on the hint of the vague smell of an old oily rag. Our situation is so perilous, we can't really afford any major - or even medium sized - stuff-ups or else IA's survival is put into jeopardy.

I love working with my colleagues at @independentaus. (If they love working with me, who knows? They claim they do and I just appreciate their manners.)
But, truly, from my side, I sincerely adore them.
They're fine people, sure, but more importantly, they're also vy. v. good... You might think I am just saying that. That I am just idly promoting my staff.
But no, take a trip with me down the avenue of @independentaus staff members and marvel at the quite remarkable collection of individuals we have creating the publication you love day after day.

HEAR YE, HEAR YE!
I am just about to do a really important little thread. Not discussing trivial things like the correct names for freshwater crayfish or potato arteriosclerosis.
Yes, Labor is in power and you might think everything is delicious gumbo, but I'm here to tell you... Some people think that just because we have a relatively progressive Government in power, they can forget about politics and go back to just debating what to call freshwater crayfish and potato scallops (actually the correct name).
And to cancel their subs to @independentaus!

I think the economy is in terrible shape. Sure, ask Albanese about what the RBA cash rate is - and as a former banker, I can assure you it is largely ignored by the banks - but what about asking Morrison what the inflation rate is?
The CPI usually ticks along at between 2 and 3%. At present, the annualised cost price index increase is 5.17%. It's high!
Meanwhile, wage growth averages around 2%. (Not for people like Morrison or the CEOs, though. Corporate profits are booming.
It means we are all, on average, 3% poorer every year under this Government.

The new @independentaus weekly newsletter is going to drop in the next hour or so - and trendsetters! - it's even better than our usual superb level.
It features an editorial by @vmp9 on how to make $$$$ under the Morrison gang.
Spoiler! Here's a clue: independentaustralia.net/politics/polit… You need to be a subscriber to @independentaus to receive our weekly newsletter, but that's because without this money we couldn't publish.
But since Xmas, our subs have gone from 2450 to 2400, almost all blaming financial pressure.
Times are tough! :( independentaustralia.net/about-ia/subsc…

The passing of Mungo MacCallum means we have lost a enigmatic truthteller. An @independentaus columnist towards the end, his razor sharp wit, wisdom and huge intellect helped us make sense of the world.
The loss of such giants makes us reflect on what counts, hence this thread. It's clear there aren’t enough truthtellers like Mungo left in Australian media. At @independentaus though, we hunt them out and publish them. We know the importance of facts and truth to democracy, which is at grave risk when false narratives are presented as the whole picture.

Very sad to hear that Mungo MacCallum has died. An @independentaus contributor for years I've known Mungo since my time as a director of the Republican Movement, a decade and some ago. A charming man, incredibly astute, brilliantly eloquent and utterly his own. Such a loss. RIP. Mungo has two stories in our top nine over the last week and only announced his retirement on Monday. He kept writing right until the end. What a professional he was.

Great editorial coming for @independentaus subscribers in today's weekly newsletter.
Editor @vmp9 is on fire more than NSW in January, as she explains who is the koala's biggest enemy. (Spoiler: there's a twist!)
Make sure you're a subscriber. Yes you!
independentaustralia.net/about-ia/subsc… Of course, @independentaus is one of Australia's most ardent koala champions. Indeed, I have just paid our lawyers $10,000 as someone has taken umbrage at one of the many brilliant, fair and painstakingly researched articles on IA by @koalacrisis about this growing calamity.

You've probably been following the dispute between Google and Facebook and the Murdoch media's official proxy. the Morrison Gov't
As the publisher of a popular independent news website, I have developed some well-considered views on this deeply corrupt farce.
So here's a thread. The first thing to understand is that old Uncle Rupert, the repitilian relic, doesn't like the internet. He likes more tangible things, like paper, ink and the entrails of his foes. He also doesn't really understand the internet, but knows what he doesn't like most: aggregators.

I would say that the difference between me and virtually every other relatively successful journalist or publisher is that I don't regard other journalists or VIPs as any more important than the people we write for. In fact, my sympathies are very much more towards the outsiders. Many people probably say that, but my record speaks for itself.

I haven't done a thread for a while, so indulge me for the next 20 or 30 minutes, while I offer you my thoughts on corruption, dinkum Aussie style.
It's one of my favourite topics and I think I've developed, over the last decade or so, a pretty keen insight.
So here goes... Many people believe Australia to be relatively corruption free. In my experience, this nation is anything but. It is simply that Aussie corruption is concealed by the "mates network". Money is not passed over (much) in brown envelopes, but mates do mates a favour. And so it goes.

In truth the mainstream media do report most scandals that we hear about -- at least eventually. I think the gripe most people on Twitter have is the unequal treatment and weight given to scandals involving the ALP, as compared to the soft touch the Coalition is invariably given. Journalism is, of course, not merely about reporting issues, but is in given them the recognition they deserve. So, for instance, Nick McKenzie reported the ABF allowing the Ruby Princess to dock. But if it was reported lower down on the LHS of page 5 of The Age, it is forgotten.

I have a thread coming up where I am going to make a few very important announcements about @independentaus, so hang with me for a bit. I am sharing these announcements with Twitter first, because this platform has been key to Independent Australia's success. By design. Yes, Facebook is bigger but Twitter has certain features that have been fundamental in enabling us to share our message with more people.

In just over a month, on the 24th of June, it will be 10 whole years since I created Independent Australia and it started publishing. I love @independentaus and I am pretty proud of it, so please indulge me as I offer a few reflections. I've seen independent publishers come - some of them very well funded, with millions from rich entrepreneurs en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Globa… - and I've seen them depart. Get worn down and disintegrate. In fact, only two independent publications of any note still exist from those days.

1.
In the past, I have occasionally written threads about Independent Australia and why it is a vital beacon of truth in our mostly drab and dismal media landscape. But this thread is a little different.
@independentaus 2.
This thread is about you people and how vital you have been in creating the brilliant success of Independent Australia.
Without all your collective efforts, and especially many of your brilliant individual efforts, we would not be around today.
Truth is, *you* are the key.

Did you know that @independentaus has lost about 20 subscribers, net, since the election?
I'm not sure people realise that abandoning sources of truth is exactly what the mainstream media want.
If you cancelled, please think about signing up again. independentaustralia.net/about-ia/subsc… I don't usually do this, but I am about to write a little thread about independent media, politics and the election. So, here goes...