Liam Byrne
@liamj47.bsky.social
Labor historian. Political biographer. Star Wars prequels admirer. Author of 'Becoming John Curtin and James Scullin'. My substack "Maintain Your Rage" focuses on Australian political history: https://byrnel.substack.com/
If only there was a way to deliver quality universal health coverage without waiting for the false promise of a superintelligent robot "army".
November 17, 2025 at 3:32 AM
If only there was a way to deliver quality universal health coverage without waiting for the false promise of a superintelligent robot "army".
Absolutely floored by this review of my book "No Power Greater" by Frank Bongiorno.
Frank is one of the finest historians this country has produced, and someone whose work I respect deeply.
And the book is, of course, available at all good book stores (and possibly some bad ones)
Frank is one of the finest historians this country has produced, and someone whose work I respect deeply.
And the book is, of course, available at all good book stores (and possibly some bad ones)
October 20, 2025 at 6:32 AM
Absolutely floored by this review of my book "No Power Greater" by Frank Bongiorno.
Frank is one of the finest historians this country has produced, and someone whose work I respect deeply.
And the book is, of course, available at all good book stores (and possibly some bad ones)
Frank is one of the finest historians this country has produced, and someone whose work I respect deeply.
And the book is, of course, available at all good book stores (and possibly some bad ones)
Have we reached peak #AI inanity? "Pope Leo XIV said a proposal to create an AI-version of him so people could have a virtual audience with the pope pretty much horrified him."
September 19, 2025 at 6:37 AM
Have we reached peak #AI inanity? "Pope Leo XIV said a proposal to create an AI-version of him so people could have a virtual audience with the pope pretty much horrified him."
Meet the Revolutionaries and Ratbags who shaped the world as we know it!
Was hugely fun to co-host this new history podcast with Francis Leach looking at some of history's great rebels and revolutionaries, and to discuss what this history means for us today
Was hugely fun to co-host this new history podcast with Francis Leach looking at some of history's great rebels and revolutionaries, and to discuss what this history means for us today
September 8, 2025 at 8:59 AM
Meet the Revolutionaries and Ratbags who shaped the world as we know it!
Was hugely fun to co-host this new history podcast with Francis Leach looking at some of history's great rebels and revolutionaries, and to discuss what this history means for us today
Was hugely fun to co-host this new history podcast with Francis Leach looking at some of history's great rebels and revolutionaries, and to discuss what this history means for us today
Who has done most to undermine the social license of #AI? Large corporations (enabled by tech bro multinationals btw) who saw the new technology as a way to displace workers, undermine established working conditions, and cut down on wages. @firesky.tv #EconSky #histtech
September 8, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Who has done most to undermine the social license of #AI? Large corporations (enabled by tech bro multinationals btw) who saw the new technology as a way to displace workers, undermine established working conditions, and cut down on wages. @firesky.tv #EconSky #histtech
An interesting piece on #AI and the history of tech adoption. It has frustrated me greatly recently to hear a farrago of tech boosters lecturing the rest of us that "history shows" tech will inevitably improve our quality of life, if we just let it run its course.
August 26, 2025 at 2:33 AM
An interesting piece on #AI and the history of tech adoption. It has frustrated me greatly recently to hear a farrago of tech boosters lecturing the rest of us that "history shows" tech will inevitably improve our quality of life, if we just let it run its course.
A lovely review of my book on union history, "No Power Greater", in The Age/Sydney Morning Herald today, I look forward to writing the sequel as requested, in about 50 or so years.
July 31, 2025 at 9:07 AM
A lovely review of my book on union history, "No Power Greater", in The Age/Sydney Morning Herald today, I look forward to writing the sequel as requested, in about 50 or so years.
Oh few, that's a relief, no need to worry about the effects of #AI because Sam Altman's own deep and comprehensive knowledge of economic and industrial history assures him that in two generations the "magic of capitalism" means that everything will be just fine. Thanks Sam!
July 25, 2025 at 6:55 AM
Oh few, that's a relief, no need to worry about the effects of #AI because Sam Altman's own deep and comprehensive knowledge of economic and industrial history assures him that in two generations the "magic of capitalism" means that everything will be just fine. Thanks Sam!
Exciting news! Apparently demand for my new book, "No Power Greater" has been high enough that the publisher has had to print more copies. Thanks to everyone who has supported the book so far, and if you haven't gotten your copy yet, it is available in good bookstores and online!
July 22, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Exciting news! Apparently demand for my new book, "No Power Greater" has been high enough that the publisher has had to print more copies. Thanks to everyone who has supported the book so far, and if you haven't gotten your copy yet, it is available in good bookstores and online!
The wonderful ANMF Victoria have published this short piece of mine on the writing of union history and my new book "No Power Greater"- all about unionism's humanising mission, and capturing the voices of those too often left out of the movement's history @anmffederal.bsky.social
June 11, 2025 at 6:22 AM
The wonderful ANMF Victoria have published this short piece of mine on the writing of union history and my new book "No Power Greater"- all about unionism's humanising mission, and capturing the voices of those too often left out of the movement's history @anmffederal.bsky.social
Spotted today - my new history of the union movement "No Power Greater" is #9 of the bestselling non-fiction books at Readings Emporium!
June 2, 2025 at 8:27 AM
Spotted today - my new history of the union movement "No Power Greater" is #9 of the bestselling non-fiction books at Readings Emporium!
Thank you so much to everyone who came to launch No Power Greater in Melbourne!
The amount of support was overwhelming. We filled more than 160 seats on both levels of Solidarity Hall, and Readings sold out all copies on the night!
The amount of support was overwhelming. We filled more than 160 seats on both levels of Solidarity Hall, and Readings sold out all copies on the night!
May 31, 2025 at 3:52 AM
Thank you so much to everyone who came to launch No Power Greater in Melbourne!
The amount of support was overwhelming. We filled more than 160 seats on both levels of Solidarity Hall, and Readings sold out all copies on the night!
The amount of support was overwhelming. We filled more than 160 seats on both levels of Solidarity Hall, and Readings sold out all copies on the night!
I'm super excited to announce that @anmffederal.bsky.social ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler will be part of the special panel to launch my new book on union history: "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia" on Thu 29 May! RSVPs essential (link in comment)
May 18, 2025 at 1:32 AM
I'm super excited to announce that @anmffederal.bsky.social ANMF Federal Secretary Annie Butler will be part of the special panel to launch my new book on union history: "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia" on Thu 29 May! RSVPs essential (link in comment)
"No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia" is officially on the shelves of bookstores across Australia! Filled with exciting and inspiring stories of collective action by working people and the struggle for economic equality - hope you enjoy it!
May 14, 2025 at 7:40 AM
"No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia" is officially on the shelves of bookstores across Australia! Filled with exciting and inspiring stories of collective action by working people and the struggle for economic equality - hope you enjoy it!
"Working people created their own organisations to assert their fundamental humanity by using collective power to elevate the value and conditions of their toil."
This argument is at the heart of my new book: "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia".
This argument is at the heart of my new book: "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia".
May 14, 2025 at 5:12 AM
"Working people created their own organisations to assert their fundamental humanity by using collective power to elevate the value and conditions of their toil."
This argument is at the heart of my new book: "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia".
This argument is at the heart of my new book: "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia".
This is such important research by Dr Natalie Sheard on #AI enabled discrimination in job seeking - vital to think about how new tech is impeding access to the labour market and perpetuating exclusions (link to article in comments)
May 14, 2025 at 1:10 AM
This is such important research by Dr Natalie Sheard on #AI enabled discrimination in job seeking - vital to think about how new tech is impeding access to the labour market and perpetuating exclusions (link to article in comments)
I am launching my new book on union history, "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia" in just over two weeks! Special announcement on speakers will be sent to everyone who has RSVP'd tomorrow (I will post the RSVP link in the comments). Hoping to see everyone there!
May 12, 2025 at 10:19 AM
I am launching my new book on union history, "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia" in just over two weeks! Special announcement on speakers will be sent to everyone who has RSVP'd tomorrow (I will post the RSVP link in the comments). Hoping to see everyone there!
My book, "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia", will be available in stores in just under a week - from Wednesday 14 May.
May 7, 2025 at 10:52 PM
My book, "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action in Australia", will be available in stores in just under a week - from Wednesday 14 May.
I will never forget the time he swore his oath of office on Milton Friedman's "Capitalism and Freedom", one of the most student politics acts ever witnessed in the parliament - the act of an ideological obsessive without the maturity you would expect of a political leader.
May 7, 2025 at 10:28 PM
I will never forget the time he swore his oath of office on Milton Friedman's "Capitalism and Freedom", one of the most student politics acts ever witnessed in the parliament - the act of an ideological obsessive without the maturity you would expect of a political leader.
Some kind words about my book "No Power Greater" by Professor Marilyn Lake, one of Australia's foremost historians. The book is out in just over two weeks! #auspol
April 28, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Some kind words about my book "No Power Greater" by Professor Marilyn Lake, one of Australia's foremost historians. The book is out in just over two weeks! #auspol
Exciting news! I will be holding a Melbourne launch for my new history of the Australian union movement "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action" on Thursday 29 May, 6.30pm at Trades Hall, Carlton. RSVPs essential: lnkd.in/giZ2_Rrm
April 27, 2025 at 7:16 AM
Exciting news! I will be holding a Melbourne launch for my new history of the Australian union movement "No Power Greater: A History of Union Action" on Thursday 29 May, 6.30pm at Trades Hall, Carlton. RSVPs essential: lnkd.in/giZ2_Rrm
Wow, great, Meta's #AI strategy is so advanced we are going to get the same product nobody wanted previously but with magnified social risks, awesome!
April 23, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Wow, great, Meta's #AI strategy is so advanced we are going to get the same product nobody wanted previously but with magnified social risks, awesome!
And Laurie was central to the campaign for shorter working hours that led to the introduction of the 38 hour week - he argued that workers had a right to enjoy the benefits their productivity and hard work created, not just their employers.
April 17, 2025 at 6:34 AM
And Laurie was central to the campaign for shorter working hours that led to the introduction of the 38 hour week - he argued that workers had a right to enjoy the benefits their productivity and hard work created, not just their employers.