Report Finds Former Home Affairs Secretary Michael Pezzullo Breached Code of Conduct, Led to Dismissal

Former Home Affairs Secretary Michael Pezzullo Dismissed Over "Reckless" Conduct

A confidential independent report has concluded that Michael Pezzullo, the former Secretary of the Department of Home Affairs, engaged in "reckless" and "ill-advised" conduct. This led to his dismissal in November 2023 and the subsequent stripping of his Order of Australia appointment. The report identified at least 14 breaches of the government's code of conduct, including using his position for personal benefit and influencing ministerial appointments.

The independent report found Mr. Pezzullo's actions constituted a sustained pattern of conduct, exceeding the boundaries of normal public service practice and breaching the public service code.

Independent Report Uncovers "Reckless" Conduct

The report, authored by former Australian public service commissioner Lynelle Briggs, focused on messages exchanged between Mr. Pezzullo and Liberal party insider Scott Briggs over several years.

The inquiry's conclusions painted a clear picture of Mr. Pezzullo's conduct:

• Mr. Pezzullo sought to advance his personal views and interests through engagement with Mr. Briggs.
• This engagement was not an isolated incident but constituted a sustained pattern of conduct.
• He actively sought to influence or interfere in ministerial appointments, driven by his personal interests.
• Significantly, Mr. Briggs was not found to have engaged in misconduct himself.

Specific Breaches of the Code of Conduct

The report substantiated multiple breaches of the public service code of conduct, detailing specific instances of misconduct.

Mr. Pezzullo acknowledged leveraging his relationship with Scott Briggs and Mr. Briggs' connections to former prime ministers Scott Morrison and Malcolm Turnbull. He used these channels to communicate his views on government structure and ministerial selections. These communications specifically included advocating for a particular right-wing minister for his department and disparaging senior Coalition ministers.

A significant finding was Mr. Pezzullo's failure to avoid and declare a conflict of interest. This was related to the granting of a contract to Scott Briggs’ company, DPG Advisory, in 2021.

The report also found that Mr. Pezzullo engaged in "gossip and disrespectful critique" of various ministers and fellow public servants. Furthermore, he repeatedly breached ministerial confidentiality by transmitting messages about sensitive government-related matters to Scott Briggs, who did not possess the necessary security clearances.

Background and Consequences

The independent investigation was initiated following revelations in The Age and 60 Minutes concerning messages, primarily on encrypted platforms, exchanged between Mr. Pezzullo and Mr. Briggs.

Mr. Pezzullo had a prominent career as an Australian bureaucrat. He served as deputy chief of staff to Labor leader Kim Beazley before becoming Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in 2014. He then led the Department of Home Affairs from 2017, a department he had advocated for the creation of.

He was asked to stand aside from his role in September 2023 pending the outcome of the investigation. Following the report's conclusions, Mr. Pezzullo was officially dismissed as secretary of the Department of Home Affairs in November 2023. In September 2024, an independent body responsible for national honors further stripped him of his Order of Australia appointment.

Former independent senator Rex Patrick obtained the partially redacted report through a freedom of information request process spanning over two years. Mr. Patrick emphasized the importance of transparency regarding allegations and investigations concerning powerful department secretaries. When contacted, Mr. Pezzullo declined to comment on the report.