Sky News newsroom under attack! Disturbing news from the Sydney headquarters of Sky News: the place has been overrun with fruit flies. “Presenters swallow them on air, studio guests are forced to swat them away and the hard-working newsroom crew have to put up with them buzzing around whenever food appears,” the desperate staffer reveals. “Unfortunately, management hasn’t seen the need to take action.”

The anonymous plea from the Macquarie Park studios was signed: “Please help.” We’d like to, but our requests for comment to Australian News Channel CEO Angelos Frangopoulos were not returned. And, to be fair, we didn’t see any presenters swallowing flies during broadcasts this morning. But stay safe, Sky Newsers. Stay safe.

MP between gay marriage and a Right place. Labor backbencher Stephen Jones put his hand up last year to sponsor gay marriage legislation in Parliament. But we hear the left-winger is under considerable pressure by powerbrokers in his electorate — all right-wing players — to tone down the rhetoric. “Jones needs to step very carefully if re-selected for Throsby,” says a Labor insider. “He is doing a good job but is constantly vilified by the Right faction. So he is in an invidious situation. Hence the less said the better!”

Police probe links with bikie gangs. Three strike force operations within NSW Police are currently investigating police involvement with “right-wing motorcycle gangs”, an anonymous tipster whispers. Plus a four-and-a-half-year private investigation “which includes hard target surveillance, wire taps [and] hacked computers”. We’re told to stay tuned.

Qantas caught short on co-pilots? We’re told some Qantas A380 pilots are operating as second officers in some sectors due to pilot shortages in that rank. Another example, says our insider, of an “exodus of very talented Qantas pilots to the competition airlines”.