Michael Pezzullo

Mike Pezzullo
Pezzullo with then Prime Minister Tony Abbott in 2015
Secretary of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection
Incumbent
Assumed office 13 October 2014
Personal details
Born	Michael Pezzullo
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	University of Sydney
Occupation	Public servant

Michael "Mike" Pezzullo is a senior Australian public servant. In October 2014, he was appointed the Secretary of the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection. Prior, Pezzullo had been the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.

Pezzullo has a Bachelor of Arts (with Honours) in History from Sydney University.

Pezzullo joined the Department of Defence as a graduate in 1987. After five years in the Defence Department, Pezzullo discovered "the experience, age and, to some extent, ideological and almost philosophical gap between [him] and the next level up meant [he] would not advance until [he] became crusty, old and cynical," so in 1992 he transferred to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, where he worked in the International Division.

In 1993 he joined the staff of the Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon Gareth Evans QC, and remained in Parliament House until December 2001, including as deputy chief of staff to then opposition leader Kim Beazley. In February 2002, he rejoined the Department of Defence, and in 2006 was promoted to the position of Deputy Secretary Strategy in that department. Between February 2008 and May 2009 he led the Defence White Paper team and was principal author of the 2009 Defence White Paper.

In July 2009 Pezzullo joined the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service as chief operating officer, a role which he continued in until September 2012. He was promoted to acting chief executive over the period September 2012 to February 2013 and on 15 February 2013 was employed as the substantive CEO. When appointing Pezzullo, then Home Affairs Minister Jason Clare told media that Customs required major structural change, and Pezzullo had been appointed to drive reforms. In the role, Pezzullo emphasised the importance of border security not only as a security issue, but also as an economic concern.

On 2 October 2014 the Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced that he had made Pezzullo the new Secretary of the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection, effective 13 October 2014, replacing Martin Bowles. As Immigration Secretary, Pezzullo led changes in his department recasting what had been seen as traditional immigration and border security institutions and doctrines.