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André Brett

@drdrehistorian.bsky.social

4K followers 720 following 6.7K posts

Historians wanna talk like they got something to say | NZ and Australian history, politics, trains, music, sport, higher ed | he/him | "Australian-adjacent person": Melburnian Kiwi in Perth

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · Nov 12

It seems an opportune time to do an intro thread, since I'm included in some quite different starter packs. My bio note about "NZ and Australian history, politics, trains, music, sport, higher ed" covers the topics I post about the most, and I do *not* stick consistently to any one of them 1/18

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Reposted by André Brett

Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 7h

I am deeply sceptical of their methodology. But I also think they should rebrand as FuckAboutAndFindOutNow.

Election Maps UK @electionmaps.uk · 8h

Westminster Voting Intention:

RFM: 32% (-3)
LAB: 17% (-2)
CON: 17% (+3)
GRN: 15% (+4)
LDM: 12% (=)
SNP: 3% (=)

Via @findoutnow.bsky.social, 8 Oct.
Changes w/ 1 Oct.

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 6h

I felt I cracked the code in polsci exams (as set in late 00s) to get 85+, because I namedropped readings and could bullshit about them in a structured way

What I perhaps had not realised is that my general nerdiness in reading all the time underpinned said capacity to write with structure and arg

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 7h

Lesson learnt: pour another glass and never log off

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 7h

My book Can't Get There from Here is literally from a late-night Twitter discussion a few glasses of red into the evening, which led me to type an intro for a journal article

I woke the next morning expecting it to be drivel. Instead I looked at it and thought "that's a decent intro... for a book"

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 1d

Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 8h

I guess I'm still thinking of that sort of thing as accent variation rather than, say, how you pronounce Jervois Quay in Wellington

(I enjoy tourists assuming "zher-vwah", though the local "jer-voice" is also technically wrong: it's named for a guy who pronounced his last name "jar-viss")

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 8h

Woonona, Bulli, Unanderra, and Dapto too!

(also apparently I routinely got Thirroul wrong the whole time I lived there, even though I'm convinced I was saying it the local way—one friend said "no you swallow the last syllable too much, Kiwi-ly")

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 8h

Hard to say what the funniest part of this is (for certain values of "funny"), but for me it's a toss-up between:
a) bloke with brolly has genuinely advocated for incest
b) the woman has been removed from the live copy, both in the banner pic and three paras about her at the end, but readable here:

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Reposted by André Brett

Ash @queerash.bsky.social · 13h

are *your* children following this TERRIFYING online trend? Look out for the signs:

* LOL: love our landlords
* BTW: beat the workers
* LMAO: let maggie advance on
* BRB: beautiful righteous boris

Dr Mark | 北马克 |🍉🇦🇺🇲🇾🇹🇭 @ajaanmark.bsky.social · 17h

Are they hoping to start a Young Tory cosplay trend on TikTok
www.thetimes.com/article/8c9a...

Meet the young Tories dreaming of a bright blue future

The Conservatives know they have a problem with Gen Z voters. At the party conference, The Times met a new breed of activists who are embracing the challenge

www.thetimes.com

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 11h

Big fan of forming an army for the salvation of the Hutt

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 17h

Yeah I must admit I’m struggling to think of examples that are neither place names nor simple accent variation

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 21h

Yeah I was going to say Jervois too, and it’s a funny one because the man for whom it is named pronounced his last name “Jar-viss” but it has been many decades since any Wellingtonian cared

Suspect Majoribanks will go phonetic locally with time too (much to scowls from my dad who once lived on it)

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 1d

I was surprised to not hate it when I was last there. The Esplanade is rather nice!

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 1d

Been too long since I’ve done it myself—back in the days when it was still the Overlander!

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 1d

🫡🫡🫡

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Move over Australian Motoring Enthusiasts Party and "accidental senator" Ricky Muir

Peter McGladdery @petermcgladdery.bsky.social · 2d

'"Motorists" is a strange name for a political party (6 seats in Czech parliament)' I thought. 'Must be a wonky translation'

Nope. And each section in the wiki gets worse.

Snippet from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorists_for_Themselves

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Not even a band of cloud rolling in could stop the supermoon shining on a Perth train heading to bed (the depot)

A very bright moon shining through cloud with the lights of a train streaking across the image

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

I should set up my Serious Camera but I am simply too lazy to get good at night photography

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Holy shit go look at the moon

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Reposted by André Brett

meliss-AAAH! @mel.bzky.team · 2d

eepy girl who signs up for the CIA because of a pretty tragic misunderstanding of what a Sleeper Agent actually does

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Ahh yes who knew about a common thing my students joke about and deride on the regular

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Definitely don't make any jokes about cracking up

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Think we need to have a whole govt department tested for brain damage because I cannot believe they’re actually doing this

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

All this simply to boast they opened in 2025 for a political gain that will be somewhere between minute and illusory. Not a single seat will change hands based on this. Hell, ask normies in Nov 2026 when the Munnel opened and you will get the most fantastic range of responses I promise you

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

This is such an own goal and is going to invite so many negative comparisons with the Sydney Metro from a media already primed to stick the boot in. Not to mention the confusion it will engender among occasional travellers..!

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Is this a fucking joke. Please tell me this site is a very elaborate hoax

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