Before every Question Time you can see strange processions of ministers accompanied by flunkies, carrying folders in big arch ring binders, moving from the Ministerial Wing to the Senate and House of Representatives. It’s not some procession of sacred texts, it’s the processes needed to cart the Question Time folders – the departmental crib sheets with the answers to questions ministers are likely to get pitched to them – into the chamber.

But are we going more high-tech? The London Mail on Sunday reports that French diplomats have accused British foreign secretary Jack Straw of “cheating” in secret talks at Euro summits while their flunkies are locked out.

“The politicians are meant to battle it out ‘mano a mano.’ But Straw sends text messages to his officials, via his mobile phone under the table, and they text back the right answers,” reports the Mailon Sunday. “He’d never get away with it on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.”

Some Australian politicians are surprisingly dextrous with text – they’re even SMS literate enough to send C U L8R-style messages – but no-one’s been sprung. Yet.

So who should we be keeping an eye on in parliamentary chambers round the country, in the committees or when they next front the meeja?