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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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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 23h

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

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 23h

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 · 23h

🫡🫡🫡

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 1d

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

Peter McGladdery @petermcgladdery.bsky.social · 1d

'"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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

Holy shit go look at the moon

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Reposted by André Brett

meliss-AAAH! @mel.bzky.team · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

Definitely don't make any jokes about cracking up

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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 · 1d

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

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

SPIRITUALLY ATTACKED ahahaha

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Have I missed something and there is reason to believe he is dying or just optimism?

Reposted by André Brett

samuel mehr @mehr.nz · 2d

"sure, Prof. Goodall gets cited a lot, and appears in lots of media outlets, but what's the commercial value of her work?" —an Australian deputy vice-chancellor, probably

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Launching the Munnel but the only people allowed to use it are ten gunzels whose names are drawn at random from a hat

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Also, if they really think they need to launch by the end of 2025 for political gain, they've posted themselves into believing that normies care wayyyyy more than they actually do. The Munnel opening in early December or early February won't change the outcome of a single seat in November 2026

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Besides all the other reasons this is stupid, it will just create so much confusion for travellers, particularly occasional ones!

Launch once, launch properly, don't do a soft launch that then requires another alteration to timetables and a big comms blitz a few months later!

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

"But that hasn't deterred Sydney-based tour guide Paris Hailwood, who runs women-only trips to Afghanistan."

tour guide who runs WHAT trips to WHERE

SBS Australia (unofficial) @sbsaustralia.nzcow.com · 2d

📢 A surge of travel vloggers is putting Afghanistan back on the tourism map, even as the Taliban tightens restrictions on women and security risks remain high.

👉 More news/weather bots

It's on Australia's 'do not travel' list. But influencers are promoting it anyway

www.sbs.com.au

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Reposted by André Brett

melbourne metropolitan busways board @mmbb.bsky.social · 2d

making my annual pilgrimage to one of the most objectionable road signs in the country, which is also responsible for the one and only time I "went viral" on the other site

A sign that reads "pedestrians please consider motorists and cross in groups". at a zebra crossing. which gives pedestrians right of way. at the exit from a train station on a local street

a post I made on twitter on 21 July 2023, which is a photo of the same exact sign that I've captioned "flew all the way to Sydney just to see the single most offensive road sign I've ever seen as a transport planner"

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 2d

Sorry I would have liked or shared your post but it had 4 reposts and 20 likes so I just had to say “blaze it” and scroll on

Reposted by André Brett

meliss-AAAH! @mel.bzky.team · 3d

that's not a very nice way to refer to London museums

Isabelle Marie @isabellemarie.bsky.social · 4d

Multi-generational vulture nests hold 700 years of human artifacts.
www.popsci.com/environment/...

Multi-generational vulture nests hold 700 years of human artifacts

Crossbow bolts, sandals, slingshots, and more.

www.popsci.com

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 3d

I haven’t watched any of the above except for Seinfeld

There is a recurring trend of my nerdier undergrads being absolutely stunned that I’ve never watched sci-fi series like Dr Who, whatever that says about me

(I just don’t watch much TV or film; my media are music and books)