Home Affairs boss stands down over leaked Liberal texts

By Alex Mitchell in Canberra

HOME Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo has been referred to the Australian Public Service Commissioner, accused of inappropriately trying to influence the Liberal Party.

A plethora of leaked encrypted text messages revealed by Nine Newspapers on Sunday night show Mr Pezzullo using a political back channel to two former Liberal prime ministers, including to suggest which MP should become minister of his department.

The texts indicate he used Liberal powerbroker Scott Briggs to wield influence, including suggesting ministerial sackings.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil has referred the matter to the public service body, she confirmed in a statement.

“I am aware of reporting regarding communications between Michael Pezzullo and Scott Briggs,” she said.

“(On Sunday night) I referred this matter to the Australian Public Service Commissioner, Dr Gordon de Brouwer.”

But both a Greens senator and a refugee advocacy body believe stronger action is needed, each calling for Mr Pezzullo to resign.
Greens Senator Nick McKim said it was “an abject failure to understand… the difference between being a public servant and a politician”.

“These messages along with years and years of arrogance, of failure to accept responsibility, of failure to understand the principle of accountability… a litany of scandals and failures he has overseen in the Home Affairs department…(show) his position is untenable,” he told ABC Radio.

“If he’s not working on his resignation letter to (Prime Minister Anthony) Albanese, he certainly should be.”

Texts showed Mr Pezzullo suggested now Opposition Leader Peter Dutton should become the new Home Affairs Minister the night before Scott Morrison took the PM role from Malcolm Turnbull in 2018.

According to the messages, he suggested the Liberals sack former defence minister Christopher Pyne, labelled former defence minister Marise Payne “completely ineffectual” and “a problem”, and said he “almost had a heart attack” when Julie Bishop was linked with a tilt at the prime ministership in 2018.

Others show Mr Briggs directly asking if Mr Pezzullo had any messages he wanted him to convey before a dinner with Mr Morrison and Mr Turnbull.

It is not suggested the messages show corrupt or illegal conduct but arguably that Mr Pezzullo overstepped the required impartial nature of heading a government department.

Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul said the government should sack him, but added he was a “symptom of the sick system Labor has kept in place”.

“It is not just Pezzullo that needs to go,” he said in a statement.

“Pezzullo epitomises the punitive mentality that characterises the Home Affairs department, and is bolstered by Labor’s on-going support of Operation Sovereign Borders.”

Mr Pezzullo was the first person appointed to head the Home Affairs Department when it was created in 2017.