Can you please share your ideas and suggestions with me, Brain Trust?

Tui gets a little stuck. Plus, some of the things that got my attention today - from O'Canada to David Seymour to Chris Bishop's lobbying pedigree.

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Yes - I absolutely suck at marketing.

It’s a fact.

But first -

My question to all readers is:

How should I set up the Substack model?

It’s been something I’ve been meaning to ask since November but…I find it hard to write about ‘my needs’.

It’s a personal weakness.

So here it is.

Can you help give me your take and ideas?

Most writers paywall articles.

Many offer to “open up the articles” if a number of likes are attained. It’s a good idea in that it encourages engagement……

All writers want to be supported financially, I imagine.

And I certainly appreciate all subscriptions and feedback. Including those of you who have gifted and bought subscriptions - it’s an incredible show of support and I appreciate it deeply.

I couldn’t do what I do without the many subscribers that are here - and I read every message that you send - with gratitude.

It makes the work more meaningful.

For example, inefficient writers and producers like me can spend embarrassing amounts of time - full days and/or evenings producing content.

Your response lets me know the work is appreciated, and the time worth spent.

But at the same time, I know not everyone can afford a subscription so I try to keep most of my articles completely open as my weighting is towards transparency and public information foremost.

This is where I find it hard to express my needs.

I’ve thought through a few options, and I wanted to get feedback, ideas, input from you.

If you would spare a few minutes of your time to provide this, I’d be very grateful.

For example:

• What woud you like to see more of on Mountain Tui?

• What don’t you like? (please don’t mention the colour of my feathers, that’s a non-negotiable - dye-free zone here)

• What would encourage you to become a paid subscriber?

• Do you want to see more content or less?

• Would you like to see more discount offers or different payment modes/categories? But how to be fair to existing subscribers?

• Anything else you can think of?

Quick poll (please add comments below post)

And a poll for paid subscribers -

One other thing to consider is: I’ve had a post up and the next day I see another written point for point the next day - but that’s a minor thing for now.

Thank you so much for your help and input, folks.

It helps me where I am not so skilful - ‘me’ stuff.

In sincerity,

Tūī

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And with that let’s go back to our regular programming schedule

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The Bishops’ lobbying pedigree runs deep

Chris Bishop’s penchant for supporting money from lobbyists to “use the law” and, if there is “who knows what level of environmental damage”, well - “that’s democracy” and all you need to do is “vote us out in 3 years!” is worrying.

Understandable though - Bishop is a former tobacco lobbyist himself, and his then fiance, and now wife, Jenna Raeburn, led an Australian HQ’d National Party lobbying company for years.

Mrs Bishop was a Ministerial staffer and when she made the career jump, she was in Gary Brownlee’s office one week, and in the corporate lobbyist one in another.

She also electioneered and ran Chris Bishop’s Hutt South campaign. And no doubt can continue to offer valuable advice to her husband now he is a senior Minister and budding Prime Minister.

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Eric Crampton from Atlas Network’s NZ Initiative isn’t happy with Dame Anne Salmond’s writing

After writing “Hayek’s Bastards” for Newsroom, Dame Anne Salmond received a not so pleasant letter from Dr. Eric Crampton from the NZ Initiative.

Apparently words such as “defame” were thrown around, and Salmond expressed surprise that ‘freeom of speech’ proponents seemed to have a problem with hers.

Crampton wrote back publicly after Salmond’s expression. Apparently, he said, he wasn’t threatening her with defamation, he was only suggesting it was possible.

Hmm.

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Ex-Young ACT Vice President states that rumours around Tim Jago’s “treatement of young men & boys” were well known in the party

Thois morning, David Seymour has doubled down on referring the victim’s complaints to an ACT referred employment lawyer, and not the police.

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Your world order is changing - and this goes far beyond tariffs

Yesterday, I recorded this footage of the Canadian Prime Minister exercising their right to retaliate against Trump’s 25% tariffs on Canadian goods.

It’s a good speech and Trudeau did well under extraordinary circumstances.

Trump imposed the penalty under the ostensible headline that it was to prevent illicit drugs from entering the United States.

Trudeau pointed out that less than 1% of illicit drugs enters America from the Canadian border, but of course, that won’t matter.

We’re in an ‘alternative facts’ world where everything is just a pretext for the real goals.

And Fox ‘News’ readers were ecstatic - pointing out Canada won’t last and will be the ones that will get hurt. Selfish.

Needless to say, Canada is one of the USA’s staunchest and most loyal allies - having lost blood and brethren on every shore alongside America for generations.

It’s a slap in the face for every Canadian and a deep, cutting betrayal of their relationship, but also globally - for our world order.

Trump has suggested that Canada will “cease to exist” without America’s patronage.

And after his inauguration - and declaring he wanted to take Greenland from Denmark, militarily if necessary - Trump floated that Canada should become the property of the USA.

Trump’s ruled out invading Canada by military force for now, but said he will use brute economic force on them to weaken them.

Yes, this is Canada - America’s most loyal close friend and ally.

And a land of pristine beauty, coveted resources and natural supplies.

I will write about this more in future but suffice to say:

Voting for Trump - and more importantly, the people who stand behind him including the junk tanks and their oligarch funders - was always going to play out in these disastrous, erratic ways.

Still, it gets worse every minute - as foreshadowed.

For example, Elon Musk and his team now have direct access to the US Treasury system. His team includes Silicon Valley CEOs.

And their takeover of the payments system, and access to US citizens’ most sensitive data, enables the Trump Administration to play hardball with dissidents and uncover sensitive information.

For example they can potentially:

• Turn off social security payments to all blue states if they do not co-operate.

• Stop funding for public schools that won’t stop teaching about colonial history or LGBTQ etc.

The FBI is also being cleared out of its employees by Trump cronies - as outlined in Heritage Foundation’s Project 20205 handbook - and some of their courageous and respected leaders are doing their best to stand up.

But, the thing is, the courage, bravery, integrity and intellect won’t work here -

Their government of America has already had its coup.

And it was exceedingly successful.

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Homework Option: Parliamentary Submission - Budget Policy Statement

The Budget Policy Statement submissions closes today.

The purpose of the BPS is to outline the government's priorities for the coming budget, not the actual accounts. It spells out what they think is important for New Zealand's economic and social wellbeing and how they'll budget to make those things happen in the coming year.

We the public can make submissions on what we think of their fiscal strategy and those submissions are discussed by the Finance and Expenditure Committee with recommendations to the House.

Sample ones: Salvation Army & NZCTU

Link to submission: HERE

Information courtesy: hadroncollider

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Cartoons - Emmerson & Murdoch