Crikey’s biggest single asset, political insider Hillary Bray, reflects back on the first 1000 days of Crikey.

Lighting farts, thank God, isn’t everyone’s cup of Oregon Chai Latte – but neither is Crikey. Still, just like a flaming fart, Crikey has shone a light in its own unique way – and it’s shown up some very interesting going-ons in dark corners that would have otherwise stayed unseen.

And, yes, just like a fart, many people consider Crikey to be noisome but, at the same time, just like a fart again, Crikey is surprisingly pervasive.

Crikey is accused of trading in gossip, in rumour and in innuendo – indeed, in everything that stinks. Fair enough. But what sort of answer are you going to get if you ask: “Mr/Ms Politician? Is it true that you’re bonking X, talking down Y and stacking Z’s branches?”? Certainly not a straight one. A lot of what we deal with smells rotten because it is.

Crikey has to sift through all this. It’s a trial and error process – but after 1,000 days we seem to have largely got the hang of it. After all, people don’t go blank when you mention Crikey any more. We don’t just break the odd story. Instead, we’re seen as a news source in our own right with our own unique insights.

Even better, some people have wised up enough to realise that the platform we offer lets them target a detailed message to their key audience. Delia Delegate will tell you that it’s more effective to write 1,000 words for Crikey than to slip them to Michael Gordon hoping a par of what she wants to say will end up in The Age.

So here’s hoping we’ll still be here 10,000 days from now, yes, like a fart once more, hanging around making a stink – but in the nicest possible sense.

Feedback to hillarybray@crikey.com.au