As MPs and senators return to Parliament House and newbies learn the ropes, there’s at least something to look forward to. The APH dining room, otherwise known as “the Trough”, has told staffers that it is “responding to feedback” after changes to the menu and that it is bringing back the $9 roast, which sounds impossibly cheap to Ms Tips. One tipster shared his feedback with Ms Tips, saying the Trough was “highly commended for availability of chicken salt”. But another staffer complained about the lack of vegetarian options. In very important work, the Department of Parliamentary Services has also promised “clearer presentation of menu options” and an attendant to help people deal with the new menu.

The Trough is where former MP Clive Palmer was heard speaking with former Senator Dio Wang, saying that Senator Jacqui Lambie, then a member of the Palmer United Party, was “not very bright”. The gossip, often, is much better than the food.