Long-time home affairs boss Michael Pezzullo has been removed from the top job after an independent inquiry found he had breached the government’s code of conduct.
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, released a statement on Monday morning revealing the governor general had terminated his appointment as secretary of the home affairs department on Monday.
The Age and 60 Minutes first revealed a series of texts between Pezzullo and Liberal powerbroker, Scott Briggs, in which the home affairs secretary disparaged senior Coalition ministers and advocated for a right winger to be minister responsible for his department.
According to the report, on 21 August 2018 – in the week that Peter Dutton challenged Malcolm Turnbull resulting in Scott Morrison becoming Liberal leader – Pezzullo texted Briggs about who would serve as home affairs minister.
“You need a right winger in there – people smugglers will be watching … please feed that in,” he reportedly messaged.
Pezzullo had been asked to stand aside in September while the independent inquiry, conducted by former senior public servant, Lynelle Briggs, took place.
Stephanie Foster will continue to act as department secretary.
More to come.
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