MPs – or wannabe MPs – do not have to be middle-aged men in suits. But should they come across like would-be reality TV contestants?

A Parliamentary Library research paper on the demographics of our current MPs published last year said enough in its title “The 41st Parliament: middle-aged, well-educated and (mostly) male”.

It also mentioned “the increase in the number of ‘professional politicians’ in parliament.”

Now, as part of the story of frenetic activity surrounding Labor leader Kevin Rudd, we’re seeing a new squad of star candidates.

There’s local mayor and Vivian Solon’s lawyer George Newhouse in Malcolm Turnbull’s seat of Wentworth. The military legal officer and whistleblower Colonel Mike Kelly in the bellwether seat of Eden-Monaro, up against Special Minister of State, Gary Nairn.

The Labor Right would also like to find a seat for constitutional lawyer George Williams, one of the key minds behind the republic campaign.

Then there are the party insiders, like Greg Combet and former party president Warren Mundine.

All of them are competent. All of them would make a contribution in parliament. But they’re all middle-aged, well-educated and have done a fair bit of playing politics. They don’t change the mix of the parliament.

In contrast, in South Australia, newspaper columnist, Nicole Cornes, wife of the former Adelaide Crows coach Graham Cornes, is different. She will be given the job of contesting the sensitive seat of Boothby, even though at the time the announcement was made she hadn’t even joined the party.

Yesterday she asked the Adelaide Advertiser “I won’t have to answer any tough questions, no hard-hitting questions, will I? I’ve had just about enough of those questions.” Even guests on The Catch Up are supposed to do better than that.

Men in suits – or women from the bimbo mags. What a choice! Where’s David from Big Brother when you need him? Surely the Nats can still find him something to do.

It almost makes Bronwyn Bishop’s naked, nasty, ambition look acceptable. Her colleagues despise her, she’s had her day – but says she’s recontesting her seat of Mackellar because she wants one more shot at becoming Speaker.

Most Coalition MPs would like to take a shot at her.