‘To the victor belongs the spoils.’ The adage is attributed to William Macy, New York senator and defender of Jacksonian democracy. The aftermath of victory allows one to frame significance, settle scores, and proclaim lessons that will justify and guide a new government.

Freshly installed Australian leaders have long relished the opportunity to narrate their triumphs. Famously, Gough Whitlam’s 1972 campaign slogan was ‘It’s Time’, and in the aftermath of his party’s return to power, on December 2, he moved with exhilarating rapidity to begin the work of reform. Governing as a duumvirate with Deputy Prime Minister Lance Barnard, Whitlam emphasised that he had no time to waste. A series of major decisions (from recognising China to releasing imprisoned draft resisters) signalled a determination to remake Australia.