To outsiders, a life in politics seems a nasty, brutal and usually short existence best avoided if only to protect one’s sanity and self-esteem.

But there are those who survive, and those who even flourish. 

And it seems that a stint as federal Minister for Health offers some sort of powerful prophylaxis against enforced obsolescence, particularly for two former incumbents who presided over some of the darkest days of general practice.

This morning, Peter Dutton and Sussan Ley were elected as leader and deputy leader of the Liberal Party.