Home Affairs boss Pezzullo to step aside over leaked texts
Make us a preferred source
Make us a preferred source on Google
The news: Home Affairs Secretary Mike Pezzullo will stand aside while the Public Services Commissioner investigates leaked texts he sent to a Liberal party powerbroker.
The context: While Australian public servants are required to be apolitical, on Sunday Nine newspapers revealed texts and encrypted messages sent by Pezzullo to powerbroker and lobbyist Scott Briggs undermining and supporting various conservative figures within the Liberal Party. "You need a right winger in there - people smugglers will be watching," Pezzullo reportedly wrote in a text to Briggs.
What they said: "He has agreed to stand aside, that action is appropriate," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday.
"We'll await the findings of the investigation which we will expedite, we have a cabinet meeting (on Monday) where no doubt I'll be able to get further reports about that."
