Every Australian worker, politician or not, deserves care being shown for their health at their place of work but few of us seem to care when that place of work is Parliament House. To many, our politicians appear spoilt, rich and indulgent, not worthy of our sympathy or support. Those I have met in state and federal parliaments, conservative or Labor, are overwhelmingly good and compassionate people, wanting to do the right thing, committed to their jobs, their families and their community.

At times there are some who are selfish, arrogant and out of touch but the majority do not deserve the job lot rejection and suspicion that they receive. They are critical to the workings of our democracy and they can and do make a positive difference to our lives. As far as is possible we need them to be stable and supported.

They deserve our care because every worker does and because they labour in a particularly difficult work environment. Life in politics can be extraordinarily challenging, disturbingly uncertain and dangerously addictive. It fills your brain like nothing else and gives intoxicating highs but when it runs out of control, when the shredder is turned on and hungry, it can hurt you like nothing else, damaging reputation, peace of mind and your sense of self.

Emma Husar has suffered an excruciating fall from grace. Credit:Louie Douvis

I knew something was wrong when as deputy premier of NSW and after 10 years as a minister, I found myself waking every morning at 1am or 2am to check the newspapers online, to see if my portfolio of transport featured negatively. If it did, which happened often, I convinced myself that the morning would be dominated by negative media, in which I would be attacked and mocked by talkback radio, while anticipating the public humiliation of an all-in press conference where I was the main course. The catastrophising ruined my nights and days and demonstrated my parlous mental health and I think my unsuitability to the unrelenting pressure of modern politics. The early morning torment lasted till I resigned.