April 10, 2016 4:00pm by David Farrar

Trans-Tasman on roaches

Roaches have infested the press gallery. Some will take this opportunity to make obvious and uncalled for jokes but seriously: the press gallery kitchen is infested with cockroaches, and worse, the press gallery building is the only part of Parliament not made earthquake safe, and there seems no great urgency to make it safe.

Are they sure it wasn’t just Patrick Gower? (just kidding Paddy)

The political parties have different stances on the issue. National praises gallery members for their resilience and talks about doing more with less, like the public sector, although most news organisations have been doing more with less for a lot longer than the public sector has had to. Not a lot is going to change though, because it might be a bit unpopular.

Labour has some ideas for getting rid of the cockroaches, but these are not policy. There will be a Commission of Cockroaches. And position papers and lots of think pieces about what policy might be, one day, perhaps around 2025.

Winston Peters says he has been warning about cockroaches since 1984 but these folk in the media never listened, and it serves them right. But he will buy them a drink anyway.

The Green party is wondering if there is some way to get cockroaches onto buses or trains. It is also worried about emissions from this number of cockroaches.

The Maori Party is concerned the cockroaches might make stories which are disrespectful, and suggests they go and work for Radio New Zealand. Peter Dunne and David Seymour are wondering if the cockroaches can be signed up as party members.

Heh- I like the last ones especially.

I am sure improving conditions in the press gallery for be a key budget priority in the 2026/27 Budget.