THE FOURTH ESTATE:

BRISBANE: A senior associate editor summarily sacked at The Courier-Mail on Thursday afternoon has manfully accepted his fate, blaming “an unforgiveable brain-fade on my part for my rightful dismissal”.

The journalist with more than 25 years experience at the paper was jeered and slow-hand-clapped by former colleagues as security escorted him from the paper’s Bowen Hills headquarters at about 3.40pm on Boxing Day.

The Bug understands the paper’s editor Chris Jones gave the scribe his immediate marching orders for a stupid and illogical outburst at the paper’s editorial meeting to map out the night’s production priorities.

And the journalist’s grave error of judgement? On hearing that Friday’s paper would include a long comment piece from Matt Canavan (below) attacking the federal Labor government, he stupidly blurted out: “I guess now we’ll have to run in coming days the best part of a page from some Labor person in the interest of balance?”

The Bug understands that there was an awkward and lengthy period of silence after his comment, broken only by Jones calling security on his mobile.

“I can’t believe I said that,” the sacked editorial staffer reportedly mumbled over and over again as he waiting for an uber after being forced onto the footpath outside the building and pelted with stones. “What the fuck was I thinking?”

As the editorial meeting inside returned to a semblance of order, Jones (far right, below) reassured his senior staffers that the masthead was always committed to balance as Queensland’s leading exponent of professional journalism.

“Of course we’ll be balancing Matt’s piece with another party perspective,” he said as his staff nodded in appreciation.

“Queensland LNP Senator James McGrath has already been asked to pen a lengthy comment piece for Monday’s paper from the Liberals’ perspective explaining the dire need to remove the corrupt, woke, tired, union-dominated, economy-wrecking, Albanese government at the poll next year,” he added as spontaneous and lengthy applause broke out, both inside and outside the editor’s office.

Want to be alerted immediately a new blog hits Australia’s longest running and most offensive satire site? Simply click on the Follow sign or the link below to be emailed new yarns the moment they are uploaded! The very second we go far too far – and trust us we will – you can then quickly unfollow via the three dots!

Follow The Bug Online on WordPress.com