Delimiter’s journey is coming to a natural end

210

When I founded Delimiter four and a half years ago, I did so because I loved Australia and was fascinated with technology. Because of this, I wanted to found a site that would cover the Australian technology sector exclusively — a site that would tell the stories of Australians, for an Australian audience. That’s the site I wanted to read, and so I created it myself.

I think it’s safe to say that the site achieved this aim. Almost 6,000 articles, 10.7 million page impressions (currently 120k unique browsers and 350k page impressions a month), 9,000 email newsletter subscribers and 114,000 reader comments later, Delimiter has become one of Australia’s largest and most significant technology media outlets. It has its own voice, its own community and its own very concrete influence.

I am frequently told by top-level executives, politicians, academics and other influential people involved in Australia’s technology sector that they consider the site a must-read, and Delimiter articles are regularly quoted in arenas as varied as company boardrooms and houses of Parliament, right around Australia.

The site’s success is a testament to what can be achieved when a writer picks one topic and focuses consistently on that topic for years.

It is also a testament to the strength and capabilities of the modern Internet publishing environment. Delimiter runs on open source platforms such as Ubuntu Linux and WordPress, uses a commodity design that was purchased off the rack, and utilises cloud computing platforms such as Mailchimp, Google Analytics and DoubleClick to provide essential services. These platforms are available to any writer for a cost that ranges from free to very cheap. And yet they have allowed the site to compete equally with the largest publishing companies in Australia on a daily basis.

Along the way, Delimiter has also become financially successful. Over the last three years, fuelled particularly through a partnership with the excellent Sydney-based sales representation agency HS3 Media, we’ve run many campaigns for many of Australia’s largest technology advertisers. Quite a few of those companies are now repeat clients, indicating that they see ongoing value in targeting Delimiter’s high-end community.

However, eventually all things must come to an end.

Today I write to let the Delimiter community know two things: Firstly, Delimiter will cease publishing new articles on Friday 4th July. And secondly, I have a new job.

As readers will be aware, the increasingly political nature of the national technology debate over the past several years has led me to develop close relationships with political stakeholders at all levels, in addition to engagement with the legislative and parliamentary process.

Unfortunately, the pace of change in Australia’s techno-political arena has often been slower than the community has desired. In addition, political parties have often advanced harmful legislation such as Labor’s Internet filter scheme.

This disconnect has consistently driven me to take an activist stance on technology policy issues on behalf of Delimiter’s readership and the wider Australian community; acting as a champion for digital privacy rights, for better broadband infrastructure and for an equitable industry playing field. To advance these outcomes, I have engaged daily with all levels of national and state politics and the public and private sectors; leveraging Delimiter’s community and behind the scenes intervention, education and negotiation towards better policy.

Late last month a new position was advertised which represented a natural extension of this work. You can read about the role here — its formal title is Parliamentary Business and Communications Advisor to Greens Senator Scott Ludlam. I was successful in my application for this role.

The role will see me relocate to Canberra to work directly with Senator Ludlam on areas ranging from management of parliamentary activity to policy development and advice, especially in the area of broadband, communications and the digital economy, and support in negotiations with other parties and discussions with stakeholders. In general, I will be supporting Senator Ludlam with whatever he needs. I believe most readers will see this role as a good match, given the Greens’ policies and culture and Senator Ludlam’s ongoing and very valuable contribution to our country.

It should be obvious that this new position has a direct conflict of interest with my work at Delimiter. As a journalist I have been staunchly independent, attempting to maintain good relationships with all sides of politics and the private sector and holding all to account. However, in my new role I will be directly supporting one side — the Greens — and its interests. And yes, I am now a paid-up member of the Greens political party. Then too, the demanding nature of my new role will preclude any work on Delimiter.

I have explored various options for Delimiter to progress without me — ranging from selling the business outright to contracting others to run its editorial or even partnership arrangements with other organisations. These options are certainly feasible. Delimiter’s operations are already largely outsourced, with external organisations already managing its sales, finance and IT operations. And the site makes a very solid amount of revenue.

However, ultimately I have decided to take the most simple and direct route for Delimiter’s future: To cease its commercial and publishing operations, while leaving the existing site online.

This path has a number of distinct advantages.

Firstly, it is the most ethical path, given that it completely avoids any conflict of interest questions about a senior political staffer owning or benefiting from a business on the side. Secondly, it ensures that no lingering entanglements will distract me from my critical work with Senator Ludlam. And lastly, it ensures that the content published through Delimiter (both the articles and extensive comment threads) will remain online in perpetuity and remain a visible part of the history of Australia’s technology community. I have also already removed the paywall from Delimiter 2.0 so that those articles are also available to all.

I know that many readers and other stakeholders in Delimiter will be deeply disappointed by my decision to take this path. Many readers have come to see Delimiter as a daily part of their lives, both in reading our articles as well as discussing them. In addition, it’s not easy untangling the commercial and editorial relationships of a site like Delimiter.

However, ultimately Delimiter was created to serve my needs. It has done that admirably, but over time, as I have grown and developed as an individual, my needs have changed. Through my work at Delimiter, as well as at other publications such as ZDNet and the Financial Review, I have become one of Australia’s most recognised technology journalists. But now my path is taking me in a different direction, and I must follow that path to be true to myself.

Yes, Delimiter could continue on without me. However, if I’m honest, what has become apparent is that without me, it wouldn’t be the same site at all. It would not be likely to feel much like the Delimiter readers know and love. And I’ve put too much into the site to want to see that happen.

Please allow me to apologise to readers and other stakeholders about the sudden and unexpected nature of this decision. This opportunity has come up rather quickly; it has taken me and my family and friends rather by storm. I am as surprised as you that things are changing so quickly.

And now for the thanks.

Although it has appeared at times as though Delimiter has been a one-man effort, this is far from the truth. In reality, there are many people involved with the site. I would like to publicly thank the following people and groups for their assistance over the past four and a half years that Delimiter has been operational:

  • Andy Corlett and the team at HS3 Media, who ensured Delimiter’s commercial success
  • Anna Kyriacou and the team at AKA Group, who managed our finances admirably
  • Bulletproof, for its rock solid web hosting (and customer service)
  • Ben May and the team at Alyte Creative, for their incredible technical support
  • Lachlan Macpherson and the team at Sennza, for their excellent web design help
  • Darryl King and the team at ireckon, a key early web hosting partner
  • Kay Lam-MacLeod and the team at IdeaLaw, who sorted out a bunch of legal issues for us
  • Sean Kaye for his early advice and mentorship, which was critical in getting Delimiter onto a commercial footing
  • Israel Smith for being a constant inspiration and source of positive advice

I actively recommend all of these organisations and individuals to other small businesses needing the kind of assistance Delimiter has received. Each has been critical to Delimiter’s success.

I would also like to thank certain categories of people.

Delimiter was largely inspired by, and based on, existing sites. With this in mind, I’d like to thank Tim Burrowes from Mumbrella, Darren Rowse of ProBlogger and Digital Photography School fame, and Michael Arrington from TechCrunch for their hard work on their own sites, which directly inspired my own.

A big thank you goes to the all the public relations and press secretary staff who I have dealt with over the years — dating back to 2005, when I first started as a technology journalist with ZDNet. I haven’t always been the easiest journalist to deal with and I’ve been harshly critical at times. I apologise for that. But I fundamentally believe that Australia’s PR industry is among the best in the world and I have many fantastic, trust-based relationships with individuals and agencies that have been mutually beneficial.

To all the advertising clients who we’ve work with, thank you for working with us. We’ve pulled off some great campaigns by working closely with a fantastic bunch of clients who deeply understand and care about their work. I believe Australia’s advertising industry is among the most innovative geography globally — paving new ground continually. And what’s more, it is highly focused on delivering actual results, which is the most important thing.

To all the sources who have fed Delimiter information over the years (anonymous or otherwise), thank you. Your commitment to transparency and accountability, sometimes even at the risk of your own position, is laudable and has helped our great democracy and corporate sector remain accountable. Likewise to everyone I’ve formally interviewed — I’ve had a lot of fun speaking to so many different people, and you have all contributed greatly to Delimiter.

To my fellow journalists, also a huge thank you. Over the past ten years, I’ve collaborated with almost every technology journalist of any note in Australia, and partied with the rest. We’ve had our squabbles and dust-ups, but overall you’re a fantastic bunch. I cut my teeth as a journalist trying to work out how greats like Ben Woodhead, Michael Sainsbury and Emma Connors got their stories, and my skills were tempered by fantastic editors like Iain Ferguson, Joshua Gliddon and Paul Smith. Others such as Chris Duckett, David Braue, Steven Deare, Munir Kotadia, Suzanne Tindal and Liam Tung have also taught me a stack.

I’m also very proud of the work being done by young guns such as Josh Taylor, David Ramli, James Hutchinson, Allie Coyne and Paris Cowan. Their work is very important to the future of the industry. And I must thank journalists such as Jenna Pitcher, Marina Freri and Nathan Statz, who worked with me directly in Delimiter’s early years, as well as regular contributors such as Jenneth Orantia.

A big shout out also goes to Australia’s brave cadre of independent publishers — the people behind sites like AusBT, Australian Anthill, Digitally Downloaded, MacroBusiness, Whirlpool, The Roar, MacTalk, WhistleOut and more. Only we know the trials, tribulations and financial risks that have gone into bringing these sites to life. The title of “Publisher” is truly a crown of thorns.

I particularly want to highlight independent Australian technology media sites such as iTWire and Ausdroid, which Delimiter has developed a close working relationship with over time. There is a substantial degree of audience and commercial overlap with such sites and I am confident they will be able to fill much of the gap which Delimiter will leave.

My wife, family and close friends deserve a massive thanks for putting up with the thousands of discussions I’ve had at home about Delimiter and technology journalism in general. They have had a great deal of patience with me over the years and I owe them a huge debt. Hopefully I will be doing less talking and more listening in the years ahead.

And lastly, of course, there are the readers, who have always been the most important stakeholders in Delimiter. They have always come first.

Oh, dear. Don’t make me tear up here. I’ve spent nearly every goddamn day with you lovable bastards over the past four and a half years, and I have come to think of all of you as family. We’ve been through every possible kind of occasion together, through the good times, the bad times, and the ugly times. Many of you are my brothers and sisters, others have provided fatherly advisor roles. And then there are the crazy uncles …

Only a few years ago, journalists existed in a kind of disconnected reality. We would feverishly work on articles and then throw them out into the ether. We never knew who read our work or what they thought of it. But over the past decade that has changed dramatically. I am not exaggerating when I say that for the past four and a half years I’ve existed in a kind of instantly networked hive mind situation with tens of thousands of Australians — people with whom I’ve discussed every possible issue endlessly, sharing every joy and sorrow.

“Thank you” doesn’t begin to cut it here. How do you say “thank you” to your family? You can’t, really. The relationship is too close and intense — scary, sometimes. And it will always endure. You are all part of me, and my articles are a part of you. I will now carry you with me into a new endeavour.

Apologies if I have forgotten anyone else. There have been so many people who have assisted me on this great journey. You know who you are.

So, will Delimiter ever start publishing again?

I won’t rule that out entirely, but what I can say is that it is very unlikely. You can’t just ‘stop and start’ sites like Delimiter — the commercial relationships take a while to establish. Then too, I’m kind of done with journalism. I’ve done it for ten years now, at every level, and I don’t really want to do it any more. I want to do something else. I will write other things in my time, but I don’t think I will return to the daily Australian technology news beat I’ve been living on for a decade. I will leave that to others. Even if I did one day return to journalism, I would try and write about other topics.

Of course, there are still the next few weeks until Delimiter finishes up for good. You’ll all have plenty of time to say goodbye and to mull over my choices. And I won’t vanish from Australia’s technology community — in fact, I’ll be right at the heart of it. I’ll also still be working towards the public interest. But you won’t be able to come to Delimiter every day and find out what I think of things. That will be a bittersweet — but necessary — change for us all.

And lastly, a message to anyone out there who’s thinking of starting their own business: Just go and do it. It’s both much harder and much easier than it looks. But the reality is that it will take you on a journey and teach you things that you won’t be able to learn any other way. And, of course, along the way you will solve problems that nobody else will. You are much stronger than you realise. If you want something done right, do it yourself.

210 COMMENTS

  1. Oh wow, I didn’t see that coming. Sad to see Delimiter go but at the same time grats on the new role Renai. From a technology point of view you will certainly be working for the right person in Canberra.

    • My sentiments exactly, and welcome to the new Batman and Robin of the Greens machine… go get ’em guys!

  2. Sir, you will kick arse in Senator Ludlam’s office. The Greens will benefit greatly from your presence. A huge congratulations!

    As you’re coming to my city, can I welcome you to our beautiful, big country town, and be first to offer to take you for a coffee or beer?

      • Wow ! congratulations Renai. You will do a fantastic job assisting Scott Ludlam.

        (when i saw that job advertised I even half considered applying for it … that said, you have far more experience, knowledge, and connections than I).

        I will miss Delimiter’s excellent independent analysis and opinion. But i also look forward to the great work I hope you’ll achieve in a more direct, active political role.

        My best wishes and thanks
        Pascal

    • Renai – your expertise will surely be valuable to the Greens.

      You will most definitely be missed in this forum, although I’m sure you will continue to contribute to the Australian technology landscape.

      Thanks for Delimiter – it has been wonderful to watch its progress and your own personal development throughout the journey

    • What Stephen said and may I also offer coffee or beer or accommodation or sightseeing guide. Welcome. Sad to see Delimiter go, but yeah, we so need some people other than the clueless in Parliament House.

    • I’ll join the chorus of welcoming you to Canberra, and offering to buy you lunch & a cuppa any time you want. You have my email address already :)

  3. I respect your decision Renai but I am massively disappointed.

    You were far more influential as an independent journalist than you will ever be as an advisor to a Greens Senator. Here, your voice mattered. It shaped the discourse. Now you are just another party hack, and a minor party hack at that, i.e, none of your policies or statements will ever matter.

    It is a sad day for me, but more than that, it is a sad day for Australia’s technology sector.

    • +1000 Aryan…

      Renai, your value as a journalist would seem to me to far exceed any possible political value.
      That said, “a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do…” :)

      Good luck and very best wishes…but if you could find a replacement for this critical role…?? ;)

    • Agreed 100%.

      I am far too cynical to believe the Greens hold any sway at all (save for the term of hung parliament, Australias’ most prosperous term in over 15 years); far less than that which you demonstrably had over just the last month that I became introduced to the site. Your articles provided Australias’ tech journo scene with a breath of life. I worry for the current state of affairs in this regard, even with your valuable input.

      I eagerly await you and your party to prove me wrong. I dearly hope Ludlam requires you to maintain a blog of some sort. Anything the Greens say with regards to tech holds more weight with me now than it previously already did.

    • Sadly this might be true, but it could also be a chance to get deeper into politics in general and make a change in the future. It would be nice to continue to hear Renai’s ‘voice’ through some sort of medium.

  4. NOoooooooooooooo! There goes my F5’ing during the day :(
    Congrats on the job Renai! Really good news :)

  5. Thanks Renai for a great site and service.

    The independent, thoughtful analysis is what got me interested, and even though I’m out of the IT industry now, I still drop by occasionally to ready industry news that isn’t just cribbed from a press release.

    Good luck with the new role.

  6. Good luck with the new gig Renai.
    It sounds like the perfect fit.
    I’ll miss Delimeter, but you & Senator Ludlam will probably
    do more good for the tech community & what’s left of the NBN
    from Parliament.
    Please, on behalf of all of us, go and kick some arse.

  7. I was half expecting you to announce that you were taking up a role at NBNCo, and you’d pull a Hackett and disappear completely. :)

    I’ll miss the articles, but I think this is a great move. Keep fighting the good fight Renai.

  8. well shit.
    I guess I’m down to Stilgherrian’s little outbursts :-/
    We need more tech journo’s. (real ones)

    Maybe you can write the occasional Crikey Article..?

    Congrats on the new job, I *really* hope you’re able to make a difference there.

    But seriously, was it the NBN straw that broke your Camels back?

  9. Congrats Renaissance, your absence will be felt by many but it is good to see that you are moving on to an important role where you can help make a real difference.

    Best of Luck and thanks for years worth of news and entertainment.

  10. Congratulations on the new gig.

    Conroy really lifted his game when he employed an IT person, so let’s hope Ludlum’s high standards are further enhanced when you come on board.

    Remember, the NBN (the real one) is for Australia and our future and that does include the odd great grandchild.

    What is being proposed and glacially rolled out by the present “Government” is detrimental to ALL levels of Australia.

  11. Well done Renai. It sounds like a great position with a Senator who has earned the respect of the tech community. I will more politicians were like Ludlam, he’s one of the few in government I’d really like to see given at shot at becoming PM.

  12. Congrats Renai.

    Firstly, on developing a great site which has had plenty of critics, so you know you must have been doing something right. I have enjoyed our occasional cut and thrust and valued being able to put our point of view across on Delimiter. I never had to argue for you to let us respond.

    Secondly, on moving into the political space. Your grasp of the issues and your excellent database of facts, quotes and dates will be an invaluable asset to the Greens.

    I look forward to swapping points of view on a range of issues, in your new role.

    S

    • This.

      What you created became an avenue for both sides of the story to openly discuss a topic. Steve is a perfect example of that, given his open comments on the various iiNet issues over the years. It didnt matter whether people agreed with him or not, it mattered that we could interact directly with the source.

      Its something you dont see anywhere else, and that will be missed.

  13. It’s not April so I know this is for real (curse Kelly Slater and his choice of release date on quitting Quiksilver earlier this year).

    Renai, the stats you quoted are awesome:…Almost 6,000 articles, 10.7 million page impressions (currently 120k unique browsers and 350k page impressions a month), 9,000 email newsletter subscribers and 114,000 reader comments later.

    Delimiter was a great achievement and a credit to you.

    • Thanks for your kind words, Cameron! It was great working with you guys on Delimiter, and you have been an inspiration to me. You have achieved so much and are shaking up the entire market in Australia! I will be keeping an eye out to see what you guys do next :)

  14. Amazing how something can be such a bummer and so great at the same time…

    Damn, I’ll miss this site.

    from the bottom of my heart, thank you and good luck Renai.

    regards Denis

  15. You heard it here first, Sen Ludlam’s office is now featuring someone calling themselves renailemaya

    Seriously, congrats mate. Delimiter has been a regular part of my day since day one. Best of luck in your new gig.

  16. Really sad to hear that this is the end for Delimiter but really excited about your new role! I have no doubt you will thrive in that role.

    Personally, I want to thank you for your pursuit of NBN stories. It was always a pleasure to see them appear whether positive or negative but at least it was good to know some people cared about the project as much as I did.

    Best of luck Renai!

    • Thanks for your kind words, they are much appreciated! I certainly do care an awful lot about that project. Let’s hope it gets back on track in the future :)

  17. Firstly: Holy shit! Secondly: HOLY SHIT! Thirdly: Massive congratulations Renai!! Wow, this is outstanding news. I cannot think of a more deserving, nor qualified person to work for the most progressive, intellectual IT-focussed politician we have in this country. I can see you taking to this job like a duck to water!

    To say I will miss delimiter is a massive understatement. Your amazing articles have been a daily staple in my RSS feeds for years. However I couldn’t be any more supportive of your decision. Not just because its obviously a great fit for who you are, and where your life is going, but because I know you will be a formidable force working for the Greens! (I can sense certain right-wing politicians starting to panic about this news already ;) ).

  18. It is sad to see you go, but seems like a natural evolution. It is good to see that Senator Ludlam will be supported by staff that know what they are talking about re technology, know how to convey that to the general public, and have a high ethical standard about it’s use.

    Good luck in you new role.

  19. And here was I wondering why the “Anonymous Tips” link went to a 404.

    I guess it now goes to Senator Ludlam’s office :)

    Congrats and well done, Renai, for going out while still on top.

  20. Hi Renai,

    I have always been a lurker here, this is my first and last comment.
    This is a bitter-sweet moment for me, I think your new position with the greens will certainly be of benefit to Australia’s technology community and you have made the right choice. however I will miss the a lot of the quality articles you publish here.

    I don’t think anyone can accuse you of selling out, as I was reading I was thinking that was exactly what you were doing but then seeing that you are joining the greens its almost the opposite and its clear that a passion for what you believe in and not money is the driving force behind your decision.

    Well done and best of luck, I hope you are able to maintain some sort of blog / online presence in your new position, we all still want to hear your views on the topics that effect us!

    Regards,
    Paul

  21. Congratulations on the new job and thanks for the brilliant site – sharing your articles on social media has made educating friends much easier.

    Good luck!

  22. Renai, it’s been a pleasure reading this site virtually every day over the past few years. I look forward to you continuing to fight the good fight, and I trust you’ll be helping Senator Ludlam hammer the LNP over the debacle they’ve turned the NBN into.

  23. Personally, I think Delimiter’s greatest strength was the informed and knowledgeable community – mostly the site is a news aggregator with some commentary thrown in, but the real gold was to be found in the comments – sure, many were pointless as with any blog, but some really stood out and we’re highly knowledgeable, even inspirational. Simple access to those voices is what I will miss the most – thanks for providing a common place for those discussions.

  24. Holy crap. You, in your new gig, in a role with more power to actually deliver cans of whoop-ass where appropriate to those who deserve it? Awesome. I shall be wearing my sunglasses in order to not to get struck from the blinding light of awesome quite likely about to ensue. Something like this: http://i.imgur.com/vWqzXUp.png (cover by Wankelmut)

    Congratulations on a whole pile of years with a near enough flawless quality operation here and making all of us here even more excited about the years ahead. Please let us be the occasional flies on the wall and I know that your talent in your new carrier continues to be as much of a service the public as it has always been, and hopefully even more so.

  25. Well given the above, I hope one day you may be able to return

    Sincerely

    Anthony Wasiukiewicz
    AKA Cabidas

  26. Damn, I didn’t see that coming!!!

    Despite our many disagreements your work was generally a highlight of my lunch hour .. Best of luck and all of that!

  27. Congratulations, hope you can use your seat at the table to help save the NBN. I will miss the Delimiter.

    Best of luck!

  28. Sad… the world of IT journalism in Australia is about to drop a couple of notches in average quality. :-(

    Good luck with the new endeavour, hope you’re able to make a difference.

  29. Thanks for all the work you have done with Delimiter. Congratulations on the new job working with The Greens for a better technological future for Australia. Good luck for the future and may it be a happy and satisfying one.

    Cheers
    Carl

    • I’m not a Greens voter, but with people such as Scott and Renai, et al… I may well become one…

      People who actually care, as opposed to the major party machinations…

      • A fitting comical end to RS’s claimed enlightened non-political position.

        Renai or ZDnet writers heading to the Greens is no surprise, nor the abuse levelled on those not sharing the leftoid view by the faithful. Hold onto the dream regardless of failures or cost!

        Anyway Renai best of luck.

        • What’s this, the ZD troll here? Get back to counting how many people pass through checkout 1 vs checkout 5 will you.

        • I sort of like your final comment Richard” but feel it required a slight alteration to describe the current Far Right’s approach to our communication’s future:
          “Hold onto the nightmare regardless of failures or cost!”

        • ROFL…

          You have been answered by Brendan, Lionel and Grump, Richard…

          But please again now, cry personal attack after personally attacking…

          :/ amazing

          By the way how’s MT’s plan (the one you said you could have written) going?

          I repeat

          ROFL

    • Thanks for your kind words, John! And also thank you for your engagement with Delimiter over the years — I know myself and the readers have really appreciated it!

  30. Welcome to Canberra. Roofs were icy today.

    Bring warm gear. Central heating is a must here !!!

    Will watch out for you in coffee shops & cafes :-)

  31. Thanks for Delimiter, Renai. I respect your opinions even when I don’t agree with them.

    I have a very high regard for Scott Ludlam. He’s made a good choice. I wish you both all the best.

  32. I can say that I am quite jealous. There is no one in politics that I would rather be working with (if I ever had the opportunity to do so) than Scott Ludlam – apart from maybe Nick Xenophon, but Scott’s work on the NBN has made him my favourite.

    Congratulations. Your site will be missed sorely.

    I imagine that your work will be very interesting. Working for the Senator with the most knowledge of, and insight into tech and comms issues – but hamstrung by the somewhat minor voice he has in politics. Championing the cause of sense and intelligence against the odds… yes, that will be interesting indeed.

    Best of luck, and thanks for the many good (or at least thought provoking :P) articles over the years.

  33. Congratulations on the new job, and thanks for all of your reporting over the years.

    If only more people had the integrity you displayed through your writing, including this article which openly describes your reasons for ending Delimiter.

    • Some readers may not be aware of this, but the wonderful comments system you have all been using for the past 4.5 years was put together by Jeff.

      On behalf of everyone who’s ever commented on Delimiter, I have to say … THANK YOU JEFF.

      Those CSS changes you made way back when are still some of the best parts of Delimiter. You rock and I owe you a huge debt of gratitude.

      Thank you for your kind words, and I will always remain one of your largest fans! :)

  34. What a journey! Congratulations on the new job Renai.

    I believe, and I’m sure those who have been following the forums over the years agree, that you’ll continue to be one of the ‘good guys’ who is genuinely working towards the best outcomes for the technology sector in Australia.

    You’ll continue to be a champion to us mate, just as you are now. All the very best for the future, I’m sure we haven’t heard the last from you ;)

  35. Congrats Renai.

    Will miss your reporting. There needs to be more coverage of Australian IT issues, not less. Hopefully the demise of Delimiter will see some new sites blossom to fill the void. They will be sorely needed.

  36. It will be sad to see the end of Delimiter, but I wish you well in your new political endeavours. I’m sure Scott Ludlam has gained a fairly, if not very, powerful ally, and you will do a lot of good helping with the IT and Telecommunications sectors.

  37. Congratulations Renai, You will be missed more than you know.
    Good luck with the new job and living in Canberra. It’s a great city full of fun things to do.
    Make sure you move to the new north side suburbs so you get full use of fibre :).
    Annie

  38. I’ve been lurking this site for a while, but I think it’s a bad choice Renai. Now people will refer back to this site with your new career in mind and say “Look! He was always partisan”. Or alternatively “He was saying these things because he wanted that particular job.”

    I think it harms your pursuit of the NBN issue so far and could deliver a blow to the credibility of the wider movement (that’s it’s not about politics, but about the best technological solution). Liberals were always insinuating that Nick Ross was some kind of ABC/Labor/Greens hack. Now they’ll have you, as the other most prominent NBN journalist, to point at as well.

    But in any case, best of luck with your new job.

  39. I am a member of the greens, the branch I attend is a little dysfunctional with meetings being wasted on procedural arguments on who is allowed to say what a few small cliques seeking to dominate meetings.
    There are conflicts in the Greens about core values, the “old leftists” that formerly belonged to groups like (Socialist Labour League), (Socialist Workers Party), CPA have drifted into the greens and may be a little at odds with the “Brown” progressive environmentalists/sustainable future advocates in trying to turn the Greens into the SSL.
    I’m not a “leftist” and sometimes feel a little out of place, I feel the Greens should move the group back to the core values of Mr Brown to the protection of the environment and sustainable development Government.
    More of the parties time should be spent on;
    1) Public Transport- the core sustainability issue.
    2) How the Electricity industry is going to be regulated to move away from coal and make itself more efficient without proceeding down the handout lane of paying people to place solar panels on their roofs, handouts are ineffective, in the long term damages the credibility of the Greens.
    3) Ending further urban expansion both in cities and rural areas, and a no new roads/airports policy and move society to more density.
    4) Building a modern Telecommunications System to reduce the need for travel and cut costs of living by delivering services electronically to the home.

    I had thought about applying for the position in Mr Ludlum’s office, I worked for Telstra for a number of years in it’s heyday when they had over 100,000 employees. It was an appallingly mismanaged business and employed large armies of malingerers. Management’s direction at the time was totally incoherent, if you weren’t a Mason you went nowhere, the politicians interfered on a daily basis with micro management (Doug Anthony).

    Sad to see the end of Delimiter, I hope at least you can offer some coherence to the Greens whilst assisting Mr Ludlum.

  40. Long-time reader just wanting to say goodbye. It’s been a worthwhile journey and it’s strangely bittersweet to say goodbye to what was like a second home.

    Thank you, Renai, and goodbye.

  41. Congratulations Renai. Couldn’t think of better politician for you to team up with.

    All the best.

  42. Massive congratulations, Renai. I’ll miss Delimiter, but I think you’ll be able to do some real good in your new role.

    Keep your big stick handy ;)

  43. Renai, thank you for your work at Delimiter over the years. You will leave a hole in technology news that won’t easily be refilled.

    Congratulations and I wish you all the best in your new role.

    Thanks, Aaron

    PS Stay true to yourself in the political arena!

  44. I will miss delimiter, it has become part of my ‘lunchtime reading ritual’ over the past 3 years. You were able to cut through all the rubbish and get to the heart of the matter. I always valued reading your opinion (sometimes when i was busy i skimmed the article and just read your opinion), so i will miss it from the daily public voice. However, knowing that you (via Ludlam) are representing us in parliament makes me believe there is a glimmer of hope for australia’s IT/Science/Tech sectors yet.

    All the best for the future!

  45. Congrats mate, Senator Ludlam and yourself should be able to poke all kinds of fun at the MTM / decisions behind it. Cant wait for the next saga of events to unfold and have fun throwing rationality and logic at the government by the droves. Hopefully some of it will rub off.

    Thanks for your work.

  46. So after all that, it turns out Renai is a Greens shill :p

    Seriously, as I said above, you’ll be sorely missed. You created a resource that was blissfully neutral, and while there was plenty of political bias shown by us contributors, it rarely got in the way of your reporting.

    I hope someone else can step up to the plate and offer something similar, because I think over the years Delimiter has provided a most beneficial middleground between all the political bullshit.

    First step with Sen. Ludlam should be to give him a 10 page list of questions to ask Turnbull. Then cross each question off as a satisfactory answer is given, and hand him the abridged list a week later…

  47. Wow. Quite overwhelmed with all the good wishes and compliments. Thank you all so much — this means a lot to me. I am a bit inundated right now so am going to go grab a coffee. But will respond more individually later. A bit of a crazy day on my end!

  48. Just for a bit of historical context that I think might amuse some:

    > “For the record, Turnbull’s no longer my first choice for Prime Minister. I actually think Abbott’s doing a pretty good job at the moment, apart from the issues with refugees, which I think he is fucking up big time. Who would be my preferred choice overall? I don’t really have one right now — I think there are problems with all of them. Perhaps Bob Brown, but he’s a little bit past it right now ;)”

    — Renai LeMay, 21st of October 2013

    Less than a year after typing that, this happens. Well done, Abbott! (and yes, it’s just too hard to assume that his front bench’s governance wasn’t at least partially responsible for this decision) :P

    • Addendum:

      I’m guessing that both the Libs (FttN shambles) and Labor (SC and his shitty filter) will actually be thanking Scott for getting them off the hook… sans Renai who else is going to keep nailing these bastards?

      :(

  49. I saw this coming months ago with the close of delimiter 2.0, and the rinse and repeat of stories you’ve ran that are 50% old content cut and pasted.

    Having said that I do wish you well on your journey ahead and hope you can bitch slap some politicians into putting us back onto the fttp path.

    • > Having said that I do wish you well on your journey ahead and hope you can bitch slap some politicians into putting us back onto the fttp path.

      I’d rather our politicians focus on good governance rather than any particular technology or topology. Whether that means FTTP or carrier pigeons or just devolving responsibility for communications infrastructure to the regional electric or water concerns as it’s been done overseas, because the federal government hasn’t been a particularly good carrier of the communications torch, and that might be somewhat understating it. Focus on what’s the best possible policy outcome and everything else will follow.

  50. Hmm… This is both a You Suck moment and a moment for congratulations, while also commiserating the poor people who didn’t stand much of a chance for your new role.

    You suck because you’re shutting down one of the few respectable news sites in the world with any sense of integrity.

    You suck for getting a job which anyone would be jealous of, but which also demands congratulations.
    No one else really stood a chance at advising Scott.
    Congratulations and help Scott defend the nations technology needs.

  51. Wow. Big news! Congratulations on the new role Renai. Delimiter’s articles will definitely be a missed by many.

    Onwards and upwards, and may your new role help all of us in the long term :)

  52. I send my best regards from under my Troll Bridge.

    Damn. Now I have to get my troll feast elsewhere.

  53. Dang! This is a loss … I’ve enjoyed the new media technology journey you’ve been on Renai … to be honest when you first started Delimiter I couldn’t really see the point (I’m a bit dim witted that way) but I think it is fair to say that you have made your point very well .. on many occasions. Its been a damn good effort and a learning experience for us all. Good luck for the next phase of the adventure … give ’em hell in Canberra.

    • Thanks Steve, your kind words are very much appreciated!

      And thanks for your continued engagement with me and the site over the years. Your comments have been an invaluable resource to the site and have heightened the level of debate considerably. You are one of the figures I most respect in Australia’s technology scene. I’m sure we’ll cross paths again!

  54. Sad to see Delimiter (and specifically the NBN coverage) go, and all the best for the future.
    Hopefully you’ll be bringing as much trouble and hell to the fibre grinch in wentworth in your new role :)

  55. Congratulations on your new job

    Looks like there is an opportunity for someone new to fill the void left by Delimiter

  56. Brave to start it up. Impressive to make is successful. And massively brave to walk away and do your next thing.

    Huge respect all around.

    • Thanks Zac, your kind words are very much appreciated!

      Also very impressive work on your end — The Roar has been a huge inspiration to me, and I’ve recently become an avid reader of Techly also. We need more courageous, intelligent and committed publishers like you guys!

  57. Wow, I’ll need to find somewhere else to get my tech news fix.. Congratulations, and welcome to Canberra. I’ll buy you a beer. Cheers

  58. Having followed the site since it’s early days it was great to watch the whole thing (and you) grow. The site looked so professional even from the outset that one could be mistaken for thinking the site hadn’t been around a lot longer.

    It’s amazing to me that though this is a news site, I’m thinking now that I know quite a bit about you personally, and to put all of that out there on top of the financial risk(s) you took was a brave thing to do.

    Oh and I have a late confession to make… my email address isn’t actually jingojango at gmail dot com, sorry for the subterfuge :P

  59. I can’t say I’m a daily visitor to the site but I do drop by at least every couple of weeks, especially if you’ve been featured on whirlpool’s “industry news”. I appreciate the way in which you try and structure your articles to separate news/fact from your opinion. Sad to see you go.

    Congratulations though and best of luck for the future.

  60. While I may not have always agreed with your editorial line this has always been an interesting read.

    Good luck with the move.

  61. Someone has to say it… since the half-witted usual suspect, apolitical (ahem) posters have all disappeared post Sept 2013.

    So on behalf of those we all remember and still laugh about…

    See… I knew it, I always knew you were a tree hugging, socialist, lefty, FttP zealot, Renai

    ;)

  62. I rarely comment but I absolutely must thank you for all your fantastic work on this site. Delimeter has clearly been at the forefront of IT journalism in Australia and it will be sad to see it go. I think it has done well to separate fact from opinion, even though that has been a bit difficult in this age of the CBN. In saying that, I am very happy that you have received the job with Scott Ludlam, as you are very qualified and it is a very important area in Australian politics now and in the future.

    Now to look for other sites that can cover Australian IT. I might check out the rest of these comments and the links in your article.

  63. Hi Renai,

    Congratulations on your new job, I really look forward to seeing what your work with Scott might yield.

    Best of luck, we have high expectations of Scott (perhaps unfairly as he seems to be one of the only politicians that can internet) and it will be expected of you too.

    I can’t wait to read your final article, I wonder if Malcolm Turnbull feels the same? :P

    Best of luck, if you succeed then we all benefit.

  64. Now it’s your turn to do something different Renai.

    At least you won’t have everyone prodding and probing why you did it.

    All the best and I look forward to engaging with you in your new role soon.

    jsl

    • Thanks John! I have enjoyed our engagements over the years and regard you as one of the wisest heads in the industry :) Looking forward to catching up at some point!

  65. Best of luck Renai. I have enjoyed reading the articles here and it will be a shame to see the site close down but I believe you will do a wonderful job working for Scott Ludlam.

  66. Congratulations Renai. You will leave behind a editorial vacuum that will be difficult to fill. Though the consolation that you will be well placed to help Australia’s IT policy progress is great news.

  67. Thank you for all your effort over the years, Delimiter has always been one of the highest quality publications in Australia. Congrats on your new role!

  68. Congrats Renai.

    Sad to see Delimiter go as it is one of my few staples, but happy to see that politics is gaining someone with a deep knowledge of the IT industry.

  69. Congratulations on the new role!! Extremely happy that you have chosen this path to further push for your beliefs. Being true to yourself is hard to do in today’s world of compromises.

    A huge heartfelt thankyou for all you have done for the community, the nation and myself with the articles you have written. With your insight and humour. With you willingness to listen and at times change your opinion based on factual evidence. That is the hardest thing for any to do.

    Good luck in the future!

  70. Truly disappointing and truly exciting.
    Thank you for the insight and thoroughness you brought to my Aussie tech news each week. I will miss it.
    But news of you hooking up with the Greens and particularly Scott Ludlum is excellent. He provides some hope of an informed sensible dialogue on important issues that just aren’t getting aired amongst the crap that now passes for politics.
    I hope part of your brief is active engagement and sharing info with the public.

  71. Congratulations and I echo all the positive sentiments above. I just hope someone fills in the independent shoes of integrity.

    Looking at the picture chosen for this article, it makes me think of Australia’s current prospect of an information superhighway, and I’ll think of you as going off to Canberra and teach them how to use fundamental tools such as shovels.

    All the best for your future, may you find it challenging and fulfilling.

  72. Long-time reader, rarely a poster. All the best wishes for the future, good sir. Thank you for what you’ve done. Thank you in advance for all the good you could do.

  73. <

    Delimiter has been a website that I have visited on numerous occasions and I will come back time and time again for reference points ….. gone but not forgotten :

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7bn0nmBn1E

    Incredible that your journey should lead you to the Greens.

    Because its where I find myself at.

    Good luck to the Captain and crew, and all who sailed on the good ship Delimiter.

  74. Whoa! Shit! And various other expletives. That’s news.

    Your reporting, analysis and opinions (be they right or wrong ;)) will be missed. However hopefully your skills and knowledge will be applied most productively. Grats on the new job and I hope Sen Ludlum appreciates your worth.

    PS. If you receive an email etc from ‘Tailgator’ then I expect special treatment. :D

  75. Congratulations Renai! Thanks for the years of reporting on issues sadly too few are reporting on. Your independent and investigative journalism will be missed, but I’m sure you will be of immense importance to Senator Ludlam.

    Give ’em hell.

  76. Thanks Renai, Delimiter has certinaly been a great resource and I’ve really appreciated it over the years. Congrats on your new role.

  77. Wowzer. Huge shock at the sudden move, but if I’m being honest, not a complete surprise. I’m on the outside looking in, and the current state of projects-that-wont-be-named-here drives me to despair… You’re there in the thick of it, day in, day out, surrounded by the insanity of it all.

    With the passion you inject into your writing, I knew it was only a matter of time before you decided to take on your own words of advice: “if you want something done right, you’ve gotta do it yourself!” :-)

    We all wish you the very best of luck in your new career path and, when the inevitable time comes, you find yourself running for a seat in the senate of your own – know that you can count on our vote too ^.^

    Hell, for you, I’d even vote green ;-)

  78. Ok, now im down to 2 tabs in my browser, Google and my banking site. Im going to need a new tech publication.

    This site has managed to keep me more up to date with whats happening within the Aussie tech scene than any other publication to date. It will sorely be missed.

    You have been an inspiration and a thorn to many who thought they knew all about technology in Australia, truely quite an achievement.

    I wish you all the best and hope your new venture is as rewarding as Delimiter has been for me over the years.

  79. Thanks for all the hard work, the articles, and the commentary. Delimiter has been a voice of reason for the tech industry and I’ve always appreciated your articles and respected your point of view. You will be missed but you must promise to write once in a while… as much as we’d all like to keep you to ourselves I’m sure you can do more good from behind enemy lines ;-p Congratulations on the appointment, it’s well deserved and we wish you all the best.

  80. Very sad Renai to see you go. You were the last voice of reason holding the Government to account.

  81. Good choice ! Both on a clear break and new work. Australian politics need a thourough reboot. Wish you all the best. Unfortunately you’ll be fighting an uphill battle with this Westminster system heavily skewed towards Tweedledum & Tweedledee …

    LeMay the force be with you !

  82. Good luck to both you and Scott, if you have to work for a politician then it’s good to see you’ve found the rarest of things, an ethical and informed one.

    Now can someone please work on creating Delimiter’s successor – nature abhorring a vacuum and all…

    • +100
      But what boots to fill
      Straight shooter, highly intelligent analysis, excellent technical knowledge along with the dedication and commitment to do any necessary research, years of working in the technology environment along with the contacts, friends and respect that has deservedly built up, a strong voice and dediacted chamion for Australia and it’s long term best interest.
      One who took on the Commercial Business path and was successful at it, so with the practical hard headed commercial/business viewpoint in the mix

      Excellent communicator.

      All with a sense of play and humour in the background.

      When you look at potential aspirants, what can you say.

  83. Noted.

    I didn’t agree with all you wrote. But I could always respect that you asked questions and didn’t simply accept the status-quo.

    Delimiter was proudly independent and you should be proud to have come this far.

    Good luck Renai. If you can’t beat the bastards; join ’em.

  84. Sad to see Delimiter updates stopping, I trust that the archives will stay online for some time as there is some excellent information available on this site.

    Congratulations on the new job and new career move and I trust that you will be able to help Australia move forward in our telecommunications and networking implementation as compared to what the current Lib/Nat government is trying to force upon us all. Fraudband will be the undoing of Turnbull – I could now no longer vote for a Lib/Nat coalition under Turnbull – there’s no way I could ever vote for one with Tony Abbott in any position at all.

    So, here’s to hoping you and the Greens can come up with some sensible solutions…

    • “So, here’s to hoping you and the Greens can come up with some sensible solutions…”

      Hopefully Renai’s actions will encourage more with business and technical experience and background and an understanding of how important to our economy and future, infrastructure and environmental factors are, (they are the foundation that underpins everything) to actively join the Greens and shape a viable practical Party not beholden to vested interests

  85. hey everyone, thank you for all the kind words over the past 24 hours, they have been greatly appreciated.

    I have been quite overwhelmed, to tell you the truth. I am very grateful and quite humbled. I will do my best to live up to your expectations in my new role.

    I regret that I cannot respond individually to every comment — there are just too many! However, I have read every comment and shed a tear or two at times. You are all entirely too complementary, and I owe you all a debt of gratitude :)

    I’m going to go a bit quiet now as I need a bit of a break before I start in July. However, obviously you can feel free to post here or email me and I will continue to read everything.

    Renai

  86. Thanks for your insight and analysis over the years Renai, you always had an article up that made people think about things.

    And a huge congrats on your new role! It must be both daunting and exiting getting your hands on a policy pipeline like that!! Scott is very lucky to have such a knowledgeable and level headed guy filling the position for him.

    Best of luck and wishes in the future mate!

  87. Thank you Renai
    You will be sorely missed, it is a loss to Australia and all of us

    All the best with your new role which is one you are most suited to especially with all your experience and your other interests you have alluded to

  88. Unexpected but congrats Renai, you will be great in your new role.
    This is highlighted by the fact you looked to ethics in what to do with delimiter.
    I came here following a link from the whirlpool front page but stayed because of the integrity of your reporting.

  89. Hey Renai,

    Sorry to see you going from Delimiter, but I really hope you get enough exposure to Canberra to take it one step further and go for election yourself.

    Leunig said it better in his comments earlier this month, but to paraphrase, the tide is turning and the old guard needs to lift its game and start listening to constituents or some drastic things are going to need to happen.

    PS – What’s the Greens position on NBN? ;)

    • The Greens are “Pro” NBN, because of it’s social inclusion and that it creates enormous opportunity for all Australians (http://greens.org.au/nbn)

      And in case you were wondering where PUP stands on it, they are “anti”, as Clive sees it as a waste of money.

  90. Congrats, Renai.

    Just one thing. Remember to keep Scott firmly planted in reality, and give him the answers he NEEDS, not the answers he WANTS.

    Enjoy yourself

    Psy

  91. Renai,

    The quality of your content has been second-to-none and the personality that you bring to your analysis is key to why Delimiter has been such a great success.

    Congratulations on your new role, all the best for the future!

  92. Sorry to see you go Renai.
    I am no tech head (where have I heard that before) but I enjoy and have learnt a lot from your articles and in particular on the NBN.
    Best wishes for your next adventure.

  93. Hi Renai

    For a while, while studying a Master of Business IT, I tried my hand at freelance tech journalism for iTWire, writing about Ubuntu. I liked it, but realised that it would be a full-time proposition, which I wasn’t able to commit to. I have the utmost respect and admiration for what you’ve achieved with your dedication and hard work. Delimiter has been a staple of my tech reading, and I am sad to see such a knowledgeable commentator bowing out.

    On the other hand, while we will mourn the passing of Delimiter, Scott Ludlum, the Greens (who I recently joined), and as a result, hopefully the wider Australian community will benefit from your analytic skills and advice.

    I look forward to seeing your influence at play in the political arena. And who knows, maybe we’ll meet up at a Greens event sometime, and I’ll definitely buy you a beer :) Good luck with the new role, may you enjoy it wholeheartedly!

    Hamish

    • “maybe we’ll meet up at a Greens event sometime, and I’ll definitely buy you a beer :)”

      I’m pretty sure the Greens only sip lattes.

      The Australian told me, so it must be true!!!

      j/k

  94. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo *inhale* oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

    Congratulations and I hope you make a glorious contribution. I don’t vote Greens but you generally have interesting things to say and occasionally I agree with Ludlam.

    Hurrah for you Renai!

  95. Congratulations.

    It takes a lot to start something new, but I think it takes a lot more to quit something you’ve invested so much in. I respect and admire you for that.

    Pretty good articles too. ;)

    Good luck, and all the best.

  96. Sorry to hear (or read) that. I came here frequently to read (though this is my first comment). However, this being a publishing success – would you not consider keeping this precious “Internet real estate” alive for your own financial benefit? Or “lease it” to someone who will keep it going? With every year, such a feat is getting increasingly more difficult. I wouldn’t let go of a parachute if I owned one, just because I grounded my plane for a while.

  97. what a pity. Every Friday morning I spend 15 minutes to read your weekly newsletter… the only one I do spend time to read among all other Tech presses from Australia. I’ll miss it.

    good luck with the new journey!

  98. Congratulations on your promotion / new job Renai. Thankyou for all the time and effort you’ve put in to Delimiter over the years. I’m sure you will demonstrate the same level of hard work and dedication to your new employer.

  99. Whilst I respect your decision I dare say you will find you have less of a voice working with the Greens than you do with the current Delimiter site.
    (That said with the utmost respect for the Greens, I actually handed out how-to-vote cards for them in the WA Senate re-run).

    I think with the Greens you could find your voice more marginalised.

    I wish you the best of luck in the new role and hope I am wrong. Very sad to see you go.

    • One of the observations I would make is that the closer you get to the seat of power the more you realise the less influence you do have over things. So perhaps its being smart and not going in eyes closed which is the important thing – i suspect permission to blog in a different guise might be important to maintain transparency/openness

  100. :-(

    Congratulations, fantastic news.

    As pleased as I am that you have achieved this, it does sadden me that we won’t have the insightful, interesting articles to read after you finish up.

  101. Bloody hell…

    Sick for a day and look what happens.

    Talk about conflicted. Renai I am massively disappointed that one of the few truly independent tech new sites is going away.
    But I am also immensely pleased to see you move on to something you obviously seem eager for. Scott Ludlum is one of the few politicians that I respect, I hope you can help him do some good.

    It’s a pity you didn’t have time to find someone you trust to take over the reigns of Delimiter. But then that is always risky as well.

    Anyway. So long, and thanks for all the fish.

  102. Very very sad to see you go Renai, But i do wish you all the best in the future.
    I do wonder where i go now, as there are no sites like yours, They are either politically biased or sponsor biased or both.
    You must follow your calling for if you don’t it will dog you for the rest of your days, Trust me on that one.
    Going green ay’ They are one party that thinks outside the square, Thats perfect for you!

  103. Good luck Renai, a sad day indeed — but I think your new calling is for the greater good. I hope so anyway. Best wishes for you and Scott, may you both harvest many fish!
    .

  104. Sad to see Delimiter no longer publishing new material, but I totally understand that you have a new chapter in your life. I hope the passion, expertise and insight that you brought to the Delimiter ecosystem will be valued by The Greens and Parliament in general. I look forward to you continuing your journey!

  105. Thank you Renai. I’ve valued Delimiter for straight talking and currency, which I’ve needed to give perspective to my PhD studies that relate a bit to ICT. Phil Townsend

  106. Damn it Renai, how is that I can be so sad and happy at the same time.

    I really will miss my daily visit to Delimiter but am really happy that you have taken such a good opportunity.

    Thank you for you keeping us informed where no one else would. It was through Delimiter that I came to understand what the NBN was suppose to be and how important that is. Please give them hell for us and you should take the chance to claim some of those drinks that people have offered (myself included).

  107. Congrats Renai. Will miss your insightful commentary on Delimiter. The best of only a few pieces of credible journalism left these days. Good to see that you will be working with one of the few political leaders we have who truly gets what’s happening and what’s needed in this country. Best wishes for a great ride.

  108. Good luck. You always write insightful stuff even if I don’t always agree.

    Not sure the Greens are the best choice; but you gotta start somewhere. Maybe you can temper some of Scott’s less than complimentary comments.

    I’m in Canberra too. Don’t get put off by the climate. I ride a bike in the early morning and its totally invigorating (if not effen freezing sometimes) It can also get bloomin damn hot like you would never believe coming from Sydney

  109. All the best Renai. Appreciated the integrity that you’ve brought to your work over the past several years. Thanks.

  110. It has been an enthralling journey, that is for sure.

    I’m sure that after all the ups and downs you must have experienced with Delimiter, and your own personal changes as a result of the the content you researched and published on Delimiter, you would all but be ready to sign off this chapter of your life now anyway :)

    I don’t see this as an end of your contributions to the IT industry in Australia at all, but rather a larger platform with bigger audience for you to continue what you started with Delimiter.

    If the ALP and LNP thought the content you published on Delimiter stung, just wait until they feel the sting of the same focused and precise content being raised in the senate, where they can’t hide from the questions being asked :)

    Congratulations Renai and goodluck with it all.

  111. Sad to see you go. Can you point me in the direction of another site/journo that you feel covers the same topics as you. Or do they still not exist. I don’t know were I will find the kind of news you delivered.

  112. Thank you so much for the balance you have provided for the site. I have enjoyed reading, and occasionaly commenting. I wish you the best, and know that you will do your damndest to help fight for our technology future with Senator Ludlam.

  113. Well Renai, from a purely selfish point of view its very sad to see the passing of Delimiter – for me it really was the go-to Oz tech site for in-depth analysis (of technology in general, and the NBN specifically … and gratefully without all the usual spin).

    On the upside,
    * its fantastic to see you follow your heart (again) – very inspirational
    * Delimiter’s success helps prove the viability of Oz tech focussed new media

    So well done on all your achievements to date, and good luck for the future!

    And of course, Cheers :)

  114. Good Luck Renai. We aren’t to stressed though… you’ll be back after the DD anyway ;-)

  115. Renai

    I know that your job will be great

    However I tried todo the same thing once and found it was better to be on the outside. Because I didnt have a confidentiality agreement to hold me down

    Good luck man!

  116. Congratulations Renai on your new endevour with the Greens – keep fighting the good fight..

    Hopefully we’ll see you butt heads with Malcolm Turnbull at some stage..

    Thanks for the always interesting articles..

    Best of luck
    Mark R

  117. Renai,
    Very sorry to see you go. You represent everything that is good about independent media. Good luck in your new and very important role. You should be very proud of your achievement.
    S

  118. Thank you Renai
    All the best with your new role.
    Ludlam seems to have good NBN knowledge, could you persuade him to align with a group that will have more influence on policy?

  119. What a sad day!
    Working for the Greens?? The utopian fairies at the bottom of the garden??
    Civil words fail me.

    • As opposed to the Libs creating a fake debt and deficit crisis, creating scare campaigns on the carbon price that have now been shown to boost the economy, and generally running on a platform of outright lies?

      I know who I’d rather vote for!

  120. Now you will in government. Any chance on a price list for policy adjustments?

    Say for example I was a media mogal and want the government to maintain my HFC network for me and protect me from competition by stopping rollouts my HFC areas that would enable competition?

    I know it can’t be cash as such, would a few high paid, money for nothing board positions on retirement do?

  121. HA… I just realised this is all just a ploy by Renai, so that he can turn comments off on all his articles :-P

    *shakes fist*

    • Apologies … I just don’t want to spend my last two weeks of semi-vacation before I start a full-time job moderating comments every few minutes ;) Plus, it’s a palpable sign to readers that things are changing Real Soon Now :)

      • I figured that .. it was just a shock not to see a wad of comments about some of the articles. It really rams it home.

        Who are we to turn to now?

        Actually seriously, do you have any suggestions for news outlets that are somewhat neutral?

      • true – but it might be useful before you go though to indicate where you might main a drop off point for information – I think one of the secrets to your success for this site was both the quality of your journalism but also the quality of your audience. This in part was enabled a discerning commentary on the most part back from your readership.

        I am well imagining that the slippery slope that Australia is now on re the politicization of public policy and that we are now clearly seeing that money and power does buy policy outcomes there will be greater need for disclosure via some drop off/tip off/back door mechanism.

  122. Renai, it’s been a pleasure reading Delimiter all these years. Wish you the best of success in your new life in the public sector.

  123. Of all the ways for delimiter to come to an end, this is probably one of the better possibilities.

    Sad yet happy to see it happen. Goodluck.

  124. Best wishes Renai.

    I’m sure you will be great in the new role, and you’ve picked a fine politician to work for. I will say this though, because I want to make sure that somebody says it:

    Don’t expect to have more positive influence in that role than you already have at delimiter. Politics is incredibly frustrating, and you will eat merde 99 days out of 100, looking for that single win. I might have even overstated those odds, given that you won’t even be working for someone who is part of the governing party(s). Not sure how often a greens senator working with an LNP govt will get to greatly influence outcomes, or even get heard.

    I personally think your voice and influence would be much more significant at delimiter than working in senator Ludlam’s backroom, which isn’t intended to diss Senator Ludlam, but is more about the influence you have as a journalist already. But of course there are lots of other considerations too (pay, new experiences, etc).

    If you ever come back to delimiter, you will have at least one regular reader! :-) Truly, all the best.

  125. Congratulations Renai, sorry to see you go but equally impressed by your ambition to take up such an important and challenging role. Us readers would be incredibly lucky to find someone to ever fill the void you leave behind.

    Good luck!

  126. Well crap… I go on holidays for a few weeks and I come back to this =P

    Congrats on the new job! (So i guess all that conspiracy theories of you being a Liberal/Labor shill are finally put to rest.. you were really a Greenie in disguise! j/k!) Good luck on your future position!

    It will be a shame to see Delimiter go quiet it has been one of the most “independant” tech sites I’ve ever visited

  127. Tomorrow is a sad day. Delimiter has been a great publication, and (having never been the recipient of it) I feel that there’s no need for Renai to apologise for any harsh criticism he’s dished out. If only there were many more independent sites like this one ..

    is it selfish to hope that Renai 2.0 is successful in serving the Australian public in his new role?

    Best wishes for the new job!

  128. Some advice from William Shakespeare as you embark on your next mission (possible)

    “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”
    “To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
    “Listen to many, speak to a few.”
    “The wheel is come full circle.”
    “Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow”

    And watch our for honey and other traps (not WS)

  129. Thats one way to silence the critic.Offer them a job. You must of have them worried !!!

Comments are closed.