apt-get reports python syntax errors

[frotz]

Binary package hint: ia32-apt-get

Seemingly at random, when installing, upgrading, or removing a package, I get a syntax error from the below-referenced python script. Despite this error, nothing seems to be amiss. The installed/upgraded package works fine and I don't see any dangling bits from removed packages. This has happened for at least the past three releases and I thought it was fixed for good.

Processing triggers for python-gmenu ...
Rebuilding /usr/share/applications/desktop.en_US.utf8.cache...
Processing triggers for python-support ...
Compiling /usr/lib/pymodules/python2.6/config_manager/implementations/svn_vcs.py ...
SyntaxError: ('invalid syntax', ('/usr/lib/pymodules/python2.6/config_manager/implementations/svn_vcs.py', 49, 7, ' def get_test_repo(self):\n'))

Description: Ubuntu 10.10
Release: 10.10
Processor: i386