Sacked Home Affairs Secretary May Lose Order of Australia Award

Long-serving public servant Mike Pezzullo was dismmissed by the Prime Minister over text messages with Liberal Party powerbroker Scott Briggs.

The secretary of the home affairs department, Mike Pezzullo is questioned during Senate Estimates at Parliament House on February 18, 2019 in Canberra, Australia. Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images

Former Home Affairs Department Secretary Mike Pezzullo—sacked in November after an inquiry found he had exchanged thousands of text messages with Liberal powerbroker and lobbyist Scott Briggs during the previous Morrison government—may lose his Order of Australia (OA) award.

Mr. Pezzullo was awarded the honour in 2020 for distinguished services to public administration through leadership roles in the areas of national security, border control, and immigration.