Prof Hocking's article on caucus

July 5, 2024

Thank you Professor Hocking for your interesting and informative article regarding Senator Payman’s stance and Labor caucus solidarity. I found it illuminating, and appreciated the detail you provided to support your argument. I also appreciated the examination of social media as a mechanism that supports the spread of incorrect history.

I did want to question why you included the quotation from Patrick Gorman, Labor member for Perth. I didn’t feel it added anything to the argument you were presenting, and I can think of many examples in the past of “an international war [being used] as a domestic political opportunity” - I would cite Douglas Newton’s excellent history of the immediate period leading to WW1 ‘Hell Bent’ as just one source of such an example.

A minor point, however, and I have come to appreciate Professor Hocking’s excellent work for some time, both in P&I and her books

Regards

Tim Shaw