A safe seat in Parliament might mean a chance to become a minister today, but for a number of politicians in World War I, it left them free to face the perils of war.
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Like many young men at the time, some representatives of the people lied to join, according to a military historian.
Nine members of federal parliament fought while in office, part of the 119 members and senators who saw active service in the war.
Australian War Memorial military history senior historian Aaron Pegram said elections and seat margins played a part in enlistment decisions.
"Federal MPs who felt duty-bound to enlist took a leave of absence and generally came from parties that occupied safe seats, while those in marginal seats were more inclined to enlist after the 1917 federal election," he said.
"Men who go off to the war who occupy safe seats, they're in a safe position because if their constituencies are backing them 100 per cent, no one's going to contest their seats as it's almost seen as being disloyal and unpatriotic."
He said physical requirements and an initial maximum enlistment age of 35 meant most MPs were too old or unfit to serve.
"Some evidently did tell a few lies – William Johnstone for example, a former Labor MP, who was killed at Pozieres, was in his mid-50s," Mr Pegram said.
Age restrictions were widened to 18-45 in June 1915.
One state MP who honestly enlisted, NSW ALP member Ted Larkin, was killed on April 25, 1915, reportedly refusing the help of stretcher-bearers as there were "plenty worse than me out there", Mr Pegram said.
Volunteers came from both sides of politics after unanimous political support for the decision to follow Britain into the war, made during the 1914 federal election campaign.
The call to suspend the election from Billy Hughes, then a senior member of the Labor opposition, was rejected as unworkable.
Mr Pegram said two New Zealand MPs from opposing parties agreed to a pairing so one could fight without disadvantaging his political friends, but he was not aware of a similar Australian example.
There was no pattern in MP soldiers' views on the divisive conscription referendums held in 1916 and 1917, he said.
An estimated 20 state MPs saw active service during time in office.
