The Australian’s buried scoop on Morrison raises the question: who knew what, when?

‘Perhaps the broadsheet’s underplaying of the Morrison story is why the nation’s media largely ignored the bombshell for 48 hours.’ Photograph: Flavio Brancaleone/AP

The Weekend Australian had the scoop of the year about Scott Morrison’s unprecedented grab for power. But the paper may have buried the lede, running five paragraphs off page one and splashing instead with a story about the teacher brain drain, while highlighting another about John Howard. Perhaps the broadsheet’s underplaying of the story is why the nation’s media largely ignored the bombshell for 48 hours.

The Australian had the first exclusive extract from Plagued, a new book by its political editor, Simon Benson, and chief political correspondent, Geoff Chambers, in the Inquirer section. The accompanying news story ran on page two.