Under-fire Home Affairs boss faces public service probe

Home Affairs secretary Mike Pezzullo has stood aside, accused of using a Liberal Party lobbyist as a back channel to former Liberal prime ministers Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison.

* Leaked texts laid bare Mr Pezzullo’s messages to Liberal powerbroker Scott Briggs suggesting ministerial appointments, offering leadership advice and recommending which ministers should be sacked

* A second tranche of messages show him suggesting the coalition government strengthen its ability to take legal action against stories sourced from whistleblowers

* The texts suggest he overstepped the apolitical mark required from an Australian public servant

* The public service commissioner will investigate Mr Pezzullo for any wrongdoing

* Mr Pezzullo has agreed to stand down

* A number of politicians have called on Mr Pezzullo to resign immediately, declaring his position untenable

* Mr Pezzullo was influential in setting up the home affairs department in 2017 with Peter Dutton the inaugural minister