The Australian‘s political editor Simon Benson has been sensationally sacked overnight, with security staff late last night ushering the senior journalist from the paper’s Sydney headquarters.

In a short statement, the paper’s editor-in-chief Christopher Dore said Benson’s behaviour had been “reprehensible and disgusting and I had no choice other than to dismiss him immediately”.

Mr Dore was referring to Benson’s decision, as co-author of a new book, Plagued: Australia’s Two Years of Hell – the Inside Story, to keep secret the news that former Prime Minister Scott Morrison had secretly made himself the minister of five key portfolios during the term of the 47th Parliament.

The Bug understands the book’s co-author, The Australian‘s chief political correspondent Geoff Chambers, was also sent packing last night.

Mr Dore’s statement continued: “Mr Benson has selfishly put his own interests – namely book sales – before the interests of the Australian people.

“If the Australian public before the May federal election, standing safely on the shore, had known the amazing lengths Prime Minister Morrison had gone as one of this country’s truly great leaders to protect them as he steered the good ship Australia through the tempest that was the Coronavirus pandemic, that election result could very well have been different.

“Voters deserved to have known that Mr Morrison had bravely taken on the ministries of health, finance, industry, science, energy and resources, home affairs and treasury to see this nation through its greatest crisis since World War 2.

“His decisions, taken in the white-hot heat of an unparalleled health crisis, were certainly unprecedented but nevertheless fair, logical and totally warranted.

“No wonder Mr Morrison, ground down by that selfless and punishing workload, needed more than just a few relaxing tunes on his ukulele to get him through the night and had to rely on some sedatives to help him snatch a few hours of fitful sleep during those years of crisis.

“Had voters known of his sacrifice, Australia could very well have been spared the next three disastrous years now facing all Australians under the socialist, heathen, economy-wrecking Labor Party dominated by its godless union puppet-masters.”

Mr Dore finished his statement by adding that the Liberal and National parties were the only ones in Australian political history that could provide good strong economic management and stable, decent and honest government.

“Benson’s selfish and greedy actions have put this wonderful country of ours at serious risk of deep and irreparable damage,” he concluded before asking staff to fax his statement to a New York number.