Jenny Hocking is considered by 'serious' historians as a hack. Her biography of Murphy borders on hagiography. The Palace Papers were a dud that she is still

Jenny Hocking is considered by 'serious' historians as a hack. Her biography of Murphy borders on hagiography. The Palace Papers were a dud that she is still attempting to show point to QEII/Buckingham influence in the dismissal. Barwick, who was the chief justice of the high court at the time, said that the constitutional crisis was Whitlam refusing to resign upon failure to secure supply. Kerr dismissing Whitlam was resolving the crisis. In the end it is academic. The Australian people had their chance to judge the performance of the Whitlam government at the election held 13 December (both Whitlam and Kerr knew that 11 November was effectively the last day that this could be considered due to the requirements for elections to be held) and delivered a resounding message to the former Whitlam government. Even if Whitlam had the half senate election he wanted, it would not have achieved his aims and he would have had to take the issue to a full House election.