Graham,
OLO has been, and continues to be an important voice, and one of the only places where there is real opportunity for socratic discussion.

Susan,
You have done a magnificent job. Few editors would be able to achieve and maintain the balance, quality and depth that you have.

Dear Graham.

Please do whatever you need to to keep Susan Prior. She is an outstanding editor. I have valued working with her over a number of years. Do hope you can find even a last minute reprieve!

Two points: The forum would be better utilised and patronised if it used V.Bulletin.
Secondly the best examples of successful subscription based political discussion boards are on the "unpopular" side of the spectrum.
Stormfront, whether you agree with their output or not is wildly successful and it's a model worth looking at, White nationalist don't usually get very much right but their internet activities are yards ahead of the competing groups.
Don Black can actually fund the whole operation through his sustaining members and "money bomb" events, he even owns his own server hardware. What's more he has no access to advertising revenue, you guys do, in reality the amount of traffic that Stormfront gets would, in other circumstances ensure high profile corporate sponsors.
You look at the Alexa ratings for OLO and it clearly has that kind of potential within Australia, last time I checked it was in the top 2000 sites.
Stormfront charges $50 a year and has monthly and 3 month plans,members get access to a private forum,a personal blog, bigger avatars and signature space.
You could easily find people to moderate and edit to lighten the load, what's more they'd pay you for the privilege via a sustaining members program.

Graham, we've had our differences of opinion and I've certainly strained the editorial muscle on occasion I suspect, but I do wish you the very best of luck with the changes you make, whatever they end up being.

We desperately need places like OLO to allow people to properly explore the implications of policy and the machinations of the various power blocs, both in the Parties and outside. There may be a plethora of blogs, but few aspire to the breadth of views expressed on OLO and even fewer achieve it.

My best wishes also to Susan. I'm sure she'll prosper mightily, whatever she chooses to do.

Good Luck with however it turns out Graham. I think OLO and sites like it are a step forward for civilisation. Thanks for all your efforts Graham and Susan. I wish I had some ideas. I hope you can keep going as strong as always.

Good Luck with whatever comes next Susan. You have been fantastic.

I am sorry to read that Susan Prior is leaving. I found Susan excellent value. If there is no viable alternative I wish her the very best.
I find OLO and Domain at least as valuable as Crikey to which I pay a senior's subscription. Surely a fee of about $40-60 per annum would not break many of us.