Long, sleepless nights fuelled by alcohol, barrages of questions designed to make an adversary crumble and conflict that makes even the most sensationalist among us want to turn off the TV. These are features of two places I’ve spent time in over the years; places that command varying levels of respect, but have more in common than some may care to admit.

The first was Parliament House, in Canberra, where I worked as a staffer in Labor opposition leader Bill Shorten’s office for two years. The second was The Bachelor mansion, when I was a contestant on the Channel 10 dating show.