A lot of folks on Facebook have been sending me links for a new website called “Menzies House”. According to the blurb, it’s the “leading Australian blog for conservative, centre-right and libertarian thinkers and activists”, which must come as news to the mob at Catallaxy (which is still in technical exile).
A perfunctory investigation reveals that the domain name is registered to one Henry Marsh on behalf of the Dallan Investment Trust. Who they are, Google doesn’t know. The Australian Business Register says they’re in SA.
I don’t want to sound like I’m putting down a good initiative, but nevertheless I will wait to see how it pans out. I dislike inorganic ventures, website-wise, and pre-emptively declaring yourself “the leading” anything before you even launch is suspiciously marketer-esque. Not my favourite profession.
Update: Tim Andrew spills the beans.
Jacques – I have never heard of this or Henry Marsh. Can you post the link?
The site itself is at menzieshouse.com.au.
Whois domain record:
The ABR entry gives pretty much the same details plus the postcode in SA where it’s registered.
Thanks. You are right that marketing spin isn’t the way to start, but I’ll take a look when it starts at the end of the month.
“conservative, centre-right and libertarian thinkers and activists”
If these are to be bedfellows, it will end in tears (unless the libs are the usual pseuds).
They started following me on Twitter just now
The only ASIC ref is for a company in SA which may have links to Senator Bernardi
I think they are setting themselves up to be the conservative opposition to Larvatus Prodeo. I doubt many libertarians will post there since there are already quite a few blogs catering to libertarians.
Conservatives though really don’t have much representation in the OZ blogosphere apart from Tim Blair, who is mostly just in it for the jokes.
Given how terrible Larva Rodeo is, I don’t think I want a conservative opposition to it – not if it led to conservatives looking as silly as the larva rodents often do. Sometimes discretion really is the better part of valor – imagine a blog full of comments like this one!
Today’s Australian confirms that the project is linked to Cory Bernardi; he has provided a domain name and Web hosting. Link
Well that was fun. Silly of them to shack up with a politician, now they’ll never get out from under the shadow.