Government may rue the day Pezzullo was unleashed
Mike Pezzullo knew his days as a federal secretary were numbered when his private texts were published. Unconstrained by official protocols ministers may rue the day they terminated him.
Inside government, Mike Pezzullo was a provocateur. Now released from the strictures of public service, the forceful and erudite Pezzullo could turn out to be even more controversial.
Definitely not a seat warmer, the former Home Affairs boss was a passionate agitator for strengthening Australia’s defence system internationally, at the border and domestically.
He led the writing of the 2009 defence white paper. For years after he had lobbied for the creation of a US-style home affairs agency that brought together all the internal security, intelligence and public safety functions.
The demise of Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo follows the downfall of Qantas boss Alan Joyce and Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin. Dominic Lorrimer
His brusque and ambitious style brought him critics. And his determination to both modernise and harden Australia’s policing and border controls saw him clash with unions (who cheered his sacking), affected staff, media and human rights advocates.
It is easily to dismiss him as a “hawk”, but to those who know him well “Pezz” is a true patriot in the best sense of the word. His 2021 Anzac Day warning that the “drums of war” are beating drew howls, but presciently came before Ukraine and then Gaza erupted in warfare.
Undeniably a “player” bureaucrat, Pezzullo worked the Canberra machine to pursue his agenda of an Australia ready for the new world of strategic competition, electronic warfare and effective borders.
This saw him clash both with ministers – his fight with then-attorney general George Brandis was legendary – and with public servant colleagues he perceived as appeasers. Witness his searing texts to Liberal lobbyist Scott Briggs that led to his downfall.
Pezzullo knew his time was up once these had been published. While senior ministers and top officials privately “bag” each other every other day of the week, the authorised release of the private texts meant the public service review was always going to find him in breach of the code of conduct.
Originally of Catholic faith, Pezzullo will most certainly have time to reflect on his own demise and the obvious venality that brought him down. But Australia will be the worse to lose his intellect, knowledge and clear-eyed views. No matter how unfashionable they be.
Undoubtedly, there will be many international strategic think tanks who will jostle for his insider’s understanding of how big government works, especially in Washington DC, where Pezzullo’s views are considered mainstream.
As the demise of Qantas chief Alan Joyce and Optus boss Kelly Bayer Rosmarin demonstrate, there has been a distinct turning against high-profile leaders who fall foul of publicly acceptable standards.
That bar continues to rise and was also behind the rushed Remuneration Tribunal changes, promulgated last Friday, to ensure Pezzullo gets no payout for his early departure.
Whether that clearly retrospective action survives is to be seen. But the robo-debt royal commission exposed large gaps in how poor mandarin performance is dealt with and sanctioned. That has seen a rush of changes to ensure public sector leaders behaviours are no longer immune from oversight.
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