As a social reformer Gough Whitlam was without peer, but the former prime minister's economic record has long been fertile ground for critics.
And they have plenty to work with on that front: Whitlam's reign from 1972 to 1975 was plagued by rampant inflation, high unemployment and surging government spending, to say nothing of the embarrassing loans affair.
But economists have been quick to praise the former prime minister as a visionary who opened Australia to the world and laid the foundation for future growth.
"They (the Whitlam government) weren't a perfect government but for everything they got wrong they probably got 10 things right," Market Economics managing director Stephen Koukoulas said.
One of Whitlam's earliest moves was to cut import tariffs 25 per cent, which played a big role in helping Australia transition from its insular, protectionist postwar economy to one able to compete internationally.
AMP chief economist Dr Shane Oliver said Mr Whitlam also played a key role in promoting trade with Asian neighbours, which has been a main driver of the economy over the past 40 years.
"It was Whitlam who opened the economy up and got us thinking more broadly and I think that's probably his biggest legacy," he said.
"We became more international in our focus, less UK centric and more focused on the Asian region and I think that helped set us up for the benefits of the growth in Asia over the subsequent decades."
In particular, Mr Whitlam's visits to China, as opposition leader in 1971 and as prime minister in 1973, helped establish what would become important economic ties for Australia.
"Having the foresight and the courage and strength to be one of the first western leaders to visit China was extraordinary and I think we are benefiting from that today too," Mr Koukoulas said.
Other key achievements included universal healthcare and free tertiary education, which changed the face of Australia over the longer term.
"Those things had longer-term benefits for the economy and resulted in a more diverse workforce, which helped long-term potential growth," Dr Oliver said.
"And that helped ensure inequality in Australia was kept to a minimum, whereas in many other countries, particularly the US, we have seen income inequality grow over the last 30 years."
