André Brett
@drdrehistorian.bsky.social
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
Pinned
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
Reposted by André Brett
The Barmy Army spending longer in a plane to watch the first test than they did actually watching the first test will never not be funny
November 22, 2025 at 10:43 AM
The Barmy Army spending longer in a plane to watch the first test than they did actually watching the first test will never not be funny
Reposted by André Brett
Number of 2 day Ashes Tests in each decade
1880s - 4
1890s - 1
1900s
1910s
1920s - 1
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s - 1
#AUSvENG
1880s - 4
1890s - 1
1900s
1910s
1920s - 1
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s - 1
#AUSvENG
November 22, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Number of 2 day Ashes Tests in each decade
1880s - 4
1890s - 1
1900s
1910s
1920s - 1
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s - 1
#AUSvENG
1880s - 4
1890s - 1
1900s
1910s
1920s - 1
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s - 1
#AUSvENG
Reposted by André Brett
Fewest balls to complete match in Australia
656 - Australia v South Africa, MCG, 1932
⭐️847 - Australia v England, Perth Stadium, 2025⭐️
866 - Australia v South Africa, Gabba, 2022
#AUSvENG
656 - Australia v South Africa, MCG, 1932
⭐️847 - Australia v England, Perth Stadium, 2025⭐️
866 - Australia v South Africa, Gabba, 2022
#AUSvENG
November 22, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Fewest balls to complete match in Australia
656 - Australia v South Africa, MCG, 1932
⭐️847 - Australia v England, Perth Stadium, 2025⭐️
866 - Australia v South Africa, Gabba, 2022
#AUSvENG
656 - Australia v South Africa, MCG, 1932
⭐️847 - Australia v England, Perth Stadium, 2025⭐️
866 - Australia v South Africa, Gabba, 2022
#AUSvENG
Travis Head bellowing at the ball “oh no, get over” and it skimming above the English fielder is one of the all time stump mic grabs
November 22, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Travis Head bellowing at the ball “oh no, get over” and it skimming above the English fielder is one of the all time stump mic grabs
Oh good, the [(English)/(Australians)] are doing badly at Test cricket, you love to see it
November 21, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Oh good, the [(English)/(Australians)] are doing badly at Test cricket, you love to see it
My father and I were amused to discover yesterday that my great-grandfather, who was repeatedly in trouble for ill-discipline in WWI, is buried in the military section of Masterton cemetery right next to a brigadier general
November 21, 2025 at 2:46 AM
My father and I were amused to discover yesterday that my great-grandfather, who was repeatedly in trouble for ill-discipline in WWI, is buried in the military section of Masterton cemetery right next to a brigadier general
Reposted by André Brett
Kellie Sloane makes 6!
That's 4 women as opposition leaders and 2 as leaders across the country.
Previous 6+/18 periods: 2012, 2019-23, and now. We actually hit 8/18 for a month between 27 October 2020 and 22 November 2020.
South Australia still not living up to its female suffrage history.
That's 4 women as opposition leaders and 2 as leaders across the country.
Previous 6+/18 periods: 2012, 2019-23, and now. We actually hit 8/18 for a month between 27 October 2020 and 22 November 2020.
South Australia still not living up to its female suffrage history.
November 21, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Kellie Sloane makes 6!
That's 4 women as opposition leaders and 2 as leaders across the country.
Previous 6+/18 periods: 2012, 2019-23, and now. We actually hit 8/18 for a month between 27 October 2020 and 22 November 2020.
South Australia still not living up to its female suffrage history.
That's 4 women as opposition leaders and 2 as leaders across the country.
Previous 6+/18 periods: 2012, 2019-23, and now. We actually hit 8/18 for a month between 27 October 2020 and 22 November 2020.
South Australia still not living up to its female suffrage history.
The remarkable thing here for seasoned ozpole watchers is that the NT has one of the more stable branches at present
There have now been eight leadership changes in different Liberal Party branches over the past 18 months – five of those not directly after an election – after Kellie Sloane replaced Mark Speakman in NSW
Three of those changes have occurred in the last two weeks
Three of those changes have occurred in the last two weeks
November 21, 2025 at 12:22 AM
The remarkable thing here for seasoned ozpole watchers is that the NT has one of the more stable branches at present
This is sad. What am I going to do with all the terrible puns on his last name that I planned to use during the next state election?
Mark Speakman said this morning he would be going nowhere as NSW Liberal leader – moments ago, he announced he was stepping down
"I have faced the brand damage that has emanated from Canberra, I have faced the loss of three members...I have done my best"
"I have faced the brand damage that has emanated from Canberra, I have faced the loss of three members...I have done my best"
November 20, 2025 at 9:20 AM
This is sad. What am I going to do with all the terrible puns on his last name that I planned to use during the next state election?
Reposted by André Brett
Reposted by André Brett
Fish have committed credit card fraud
November 19, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Fish have committed credit card fraud
It is very funny to me that The Opportunities Party has renamed itself to The *Opportunity* Party. No longer multiple, possibly uncountable opportunities, just one single unspecified opportunity, emblematic of NZ setting its sights and ambitions lower these past few years
November 19, 2025 at 5:12 AM
It is very funny to me that The Opportunities Party has renamed itself to The *Opportunity* Party. No longer multiple, possibly uncountable opportunities, just one single unspecified opportunity, emblematic of NZ setting its sights and ambitions lower these past few years
Reposted by André Brett
It would be crass to include a sponsorship arrangement or paid product endorsement in the eulogy at a State funeral. But in the case of John Laws you can rely on it being there
November 18, 2025 at 8:06 PM
It would be crass to include a sponsorship arrangement or paid product endorsement in the eulogy at a State funeral. But in the case of John Laws you can rely on it being there
Reposted by André Brett
"That’s why this time machine worked: not because of servers but because of humans, because of people who cared about each other and about something they had worked together to build."
November 18, 2025 at 4:25 AM
"That’s why this time machine worked: not because of servers but because of humans, because of people who cared about each other and about something they had worked together to build."
So we can get another damn charter train going for cruise ship passengers but heaven forfend we revive the Southerner for everyday transport needs
#RailNews: Steam Incorporated and Pounamu Tourism Group held their first test run of their new regular cruise programme on Monday
One of the first cruise programme runs is the Mountaineer and starts on Tuesday.
The Mountaineer uses the former Capital Connection carriages.
One of the first cruise programme runs is the Mountaineer and starts on Tuesday.
The Mountaineer uses the former Capital Connection carriages.
November 18, 2025 at 3:54 AM
So we can get another damn charter train going for cruise ship passengers but heaven forfend we revive the Southerner for everyday transport needs
No party has ever been more a circular firing squad than the Victorian Liberals
#BREAKING 🚨 Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin is set to face a leadership spill tomorrow, with Kew MP Jess Wilson set to challenge him
The move is despite the Coalition leading in multiple recent state polls and Battin being ahead in preferred premier polling
The move is despite the Coalition leading in multiple recent state polls and Battin being ahead in preferred premier polling
November 17, 2025 at 6:59 AM
No party has ever been more a circular firing squad than the Victorian Liberals
I’ll be in NZ for the better part of the next fortnight—Wellington, Auckland, and a quick jaunt to Hamilton on Te Huia—and of course I’ll be resuming my very official Pie Inspector role. What bakeries in those three cities can I simply not afford to miss? Who’s doing the finest stuff right now?
November 17, 2025 at 2:22 AM
I’ll be in NZ for the better part of the next fortnight—Wellington, Auckland, and a quick jaunt to Hamilton on Te Huia—and of course I’ll be resuming my very official Pie Inspector role. What bakeries in those three cities can I simply not afford to miss? Who’s doing the finest stuff right now?
Australian/NZ academia has deep and entrenched problems, but throughout my career I have learnt the most bonkers things about US academia and this “job interviews in hotel rooms” stuff is right up there
Every interview I’ve ever had has been in a meeting room or office like normal goddamn people
Every interview I’ve ever had has been in a meeting room or office like normal goddamn people
If you are not in academia, you might not know this, but job interviews used to be held at conferences IN HOTEL ROOMS. Women candidates in a hotel room alone with often all-male committees. People sitting on beds! The horror stories I've heard.
I thing I sometimes thing about is that university departments were still doing job interviews in hotel rooms in the mid aughts
November 17, 2025 at 1:48 AM
Australian/NZ academia has deep and entrenched problems, but throughout my career I have learnt the most bonkers things about US academia and this “job interviews in hotel rooms” stuff is right up there
Every interview I’ve ever had has been in a meeting room or office like normal goddamn people
Every interview I’ve ever had has been in a meeting room or office like normal goddamn people
Did he resign because his own MPs forgot he was leader
#BREAKING 🚨 Dugald Saunders has announced his resignation as NSW Nationals leader after two years
Saunders says it is "the right time to allow a new leader to take up the fight" ahead of the 2027 state election, but will remain in parliament
Saunders says it is "the right time to allow a new leader to take up the fight" ahead of the 2027 state election, but will remain in parliament
November 17, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Did he resign because his own MPs forgot he was leader
Extraordinary post-election honeymoon
If I were the opposition I would simply stop kneecapping myself
If I were the opposition I would simply stop kneecapping myself
My last-election prefs 2PP aggregate following Redbridge/Accent is 55.9 to ALP (+0.3) rising to 56.0 overnight if no other polls appear. Overall pattern continues to be one of very little 2PP movement.
November 16, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Extraordinary post-election honeymoon
If I were the opposition I would simply stop kneecapping myself
If I were the opposition I would simply stop kneecapping myself
A decade ago, I read a piece that claimed readers perceived text in Baskerville as more persuasive than in other fonts (esp sans serif but also narrowly ahead of Garamond). As a gag, I submitted my next journal article in Baskerville. Not sure it helped the article but I discovered I loved the font
What are your favourite fonts? I'm quite partial to Century Gothic, Andale Mono, and Abadi.
November 16, 2025 at 11:32 AM
A decade ago, I read a piece that claimed readers perceived text in Baskerville as more persuasive than in other fonts (esp sans serif but also narrowly ahead of Garamond). As a gag, I submitted my next journal article in Baskerville. Not sure it helped the article but I discovered I loved the font
Reposted by André Brett
Something special to share. I’ve been up to my old tricks again – scanning, restoring, and researching a collection of over 600 Edwardian-era glass slides that were found in an attic.
I've connected them to Birmingham schoolmaster and amateur photographer Charles Francis Hayward.
I've connected them to Birmingham schoolmaster and amateur photographer Charles Francis Hayward.
November 11, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Something special to share. I’ve been up to my old tricks again – scanning, restoring, and researching a collection of over 600 Edwardian-era glass slides that were found in an attic.
I've connected them to Birmingham schoolmaster and amateur photographer Charles Francis Hayward.
I've connected them to Birmingham schoolmaster and amateur photographer Charles Francis Hayward.
Reposted by André Brett
‘Let’s choose which window’, that fun game well known to Australian children viewers of Playschool, and Russian officials not seen in public for a week or two
November 16, 2025 at 7:18 AM
‘Let’s choose which window’, that fun game well known to Australian children viewers of Playschool, and Russian officials not seen in public for a week or two
I'll be collecting more data for this project soon, and one thing I need to decide is how many other colonies to sample to contextualise consular representation in Aus/NZ. I don't want to make heaps of extra work for myself, but for 1870–1900 it won't be too laborious to use official sources... 1/3
Question: does anybody know of good scholarship on the history of Liberia’s diplomacy/consular network, esp late 19th century?
I’ve returned to some research I did in 2021 for my chapter in Australia on the World Stage: foreign powers with consuls in Aus/NZ. I’m intrigued how Liberian consuls…
I’ve returned to some research I did in 2021 for my chapter in Australia on the World Stage: foreign powers with consuls in Aus/NZ. I’m intrigued how Liberian consuls…
November 16, 2025 at 7:16 AM
I'll be collecting more data for this project soon, and one thing I need to decide is how many other colonies to sample to contextualise consular representation in Aus/NZ. I don't want to make heaps of extra work for myself, but for 1870–1900 it won't be too laborious to use official sources... 1/3