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André Brett

@drdrehistorian.bsky.social

4K followers 720 following 6.8K 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 · 2h

My suspicion is people assume authors endorse/experienced the characters/outcomes or that "write what you know" is taken too literally to mean "your own life". I've seen similar attitudes re history; you study events/people/ideas you like/support. Awkward for me: I've published on colonial genocide!

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 6h

Another W for Liam Hogan Thought

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 6h

And NZ almost has fixed terms without legislating for them. 1957–81, the election was always on the last Saturday of November every three years; before and since, it's still usually been Sep-Nov. 1984 and 2002 being in July *really* stick out in a way they wouldn't for Australia's federal parliament

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 6h

I kept some and have regretted discarding a bunch of others that at first I retained through a couple of moves before deciding they were dead weight. A couple would've definitely come in handy since as inspiration when planning my own subjects!

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 6h

Same true of Holyoake: Holland retired as PM early 1957 and Holyoake led National to a loss later that year. Then he won govt back in 1960 and held it for over a decade; Hipkins would be rather chuffed with himself (and exceed my expectations) if he can win next year and rule until the mid-2030s...!

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 8h

That said, Mike Moore came rather close to being NZ PM again at the 1993 election! Since the 1980s, though, losing heads of govt rarely stay long as party leader. Like Hipkins, Qld's Steven Miles has stuck around; if both contest their next elections as leader, it'll be uncommon whatever the outcome

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 8h

In the last 50 years, only twice has a head of govt in Aus/NZ returned to office having lost it before, and neither did so by winning an election: Rosemary Follett, ACT CM 1991 (then won 1992 election); Kevin Rudd, Aus PM 2013. The last do so by winning govt at an election was Eric Reece in Tas 1972

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 8h

If this poll came to pass, the left bloc would have a majority and Chris Hipkins would achieve something once common & now rare in Aus/NZ: a former head of govt regaining office. It's only happened twice in NZ since Harry Atkinson began a 4th term in 1887: Joseph Ward in 1928, Keith Holyoake in 1960

henry cooke @henrycooke.bsky.social · 9h

It’s raining polls:

New Talbot Mill/Anacta is the second in two weeks to show National below 29

www.thepost.co.nz/politics/360...

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 9h

If your preference is bad then I am joining you having bad preferences

(I do want a nice new rollerball pen or two, come to think of it...)

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 11h

You can guarantee they are cranking the irony-free edition of Queen's English

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 12h

Come on if you're going to be a political party called NZ First, at least put a few of the most bog-standard cliché NZ hits on your list. There's just 2/18, of which one is the national anthem (the other is Split Enz, who I'm sure are *thrilled*). Funny they didn't even think of Dave Dobbyn

Startling Lady of Gore @postnatodepression.bsky.social · 14h

open.spotify.com/playlist/2br...
if you're a weird fringe right-wing party chumbawumba should be able to come to your house and smack you around the head for putting them on your playlist

"Now That's What I Call Music! NZ First Edition"
Ok most of these I don't know because I'm under 30, but it's Starship, Elvis Presley, John Farnham, Shaggy, Jimmy Barnes, Frank Sinatra, Chumbawumba (I KNOW THEM!!!), and Tina Turner. The NZ National Anthem is at no. 1 of course

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 12h

Also I am sure Neil and Tim Finn both have choice words to say about Winston...

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 12h

There's a Split Enz track! But yeah, just the Enz and the national anthem for a party called NZ First is fucking funny

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 12h

And Farnham gave permission to use You're the Voice to promote the sadly unsuccessful 2023 Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum, having previously not granted its use in political settings. So, yeah, safe to say he would not be on the NZ First train

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 13h

Don't forget crossing gatekeepers. It's not just for men either: a young fettler's wife can supplement the family income by attending to the gates!

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 14h

Depots in all junction towns and terminuses need keen young lads to shovel ashes and keep the sheds tidy!

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 14h

I’m thinking of returning to the old(-ish) ways of providing weekly readings to students in a PDF now that all these ebook sites have become so user-hostile! To think I used to be pleased if a book was on ProQuest rather than most other platforms; now it’s just as bad

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 14h

I appreciate your optimism, as my take is honestly pretty gloomy. The confirmation of the hybrid trains for the lower NI has at least lifted my spirits and meant I’m not as pessimistic as I could be

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 14h

It’s not pleasant but when needs must, these young people should accept that sometimes you need to take a job as a nightsoil collector

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 15h

It would be annoying *even if* I didn’t hate the “Assistant” because obviously users sometimes load a chapter and the first thing they intend to do is search within it!

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 15h

Maybe minor, but ProQuest is driving me nuts forcing its AI Research Assistant on ebook users. As a chapter loads, even if you click the button for the contents tab or search in the side column and it initially appears, it will swap to the “Assistant” and force you to click again the tab you want

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 15h

That was my point: the costs were so extreme as to be unbelievable. Easy to suspect it was gold plated twice over to ensure an LNP that already didn’t like it could cancel it on cost grounds. Projects should not cost nearly as much as they do in Anglophone countries given budgets elsewhere

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 1d

"There are SOCIAL sciences now?!"

André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 1d

I assume the humanities remain colossally fucked in the funding models? I have in any case figured there is no chance of uni positions or research grants luring me back from Australia at any point in the foreseeable future

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André Brett @drdrehistorian.bsky.social · 1d

Seppos follow a basic international standard challenge 2025 (IMPOSSIBLE!!!!)