A plethora of encrypted texts revealed by Nine Newspapers on Sunday night show Pezzullo using a political back channel to two former Liberal prime ministers.

The texts indicate he used Liberal powerbroker Scott Briggs to wield influence, including suggesting ministerial sackings and which MP should become minister of his department.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Monday morning Pezzullo had agreed to stand aside while the investigation occurs.

Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil, who initially referred the matter to the public service’s oversight body, had asked him to stand down.

“He has agreed to stand aside, that action is appropriate,” the PM told reporters.

“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.”

“I am aware of reporting regarding communications between Michael Pezzullo and Scott Briggs,” he said.

“(On Sunday night) I referred this matter to the Australian Public Service Commissioner, Dr Gordon de Brouwer.”

Earlier, a Greens senator and a refugee advocacy body called for Pezzullo to quit.

Greens Senator Nick McKim said it was “an abject failure to understand … the difference between being a public servant and a politician”.

The Community and Public Sector Union said public servants could faced disciplinary action for sharing political content on social media yet Pezzullo had been sharing his wishlist and a hit list with political operatives.

Texts showed Pezzullo suggested now Opposition Leader Peter Dutton should become the new Home Affairs Minister the night before Scott Morrison took the PM role from Malcolm Turnbull in 2018.

According to the messages, he suggested the Liberals sack former Defence Minister Christopher Pyne, labelled former Defence Minister Marise Payne “completely ineffectual” and “a problem”, and said he “almost had a heart attack” when Julie Bishop was linked with a tilt at the prime ministership in 2018.

Others show Briggs directly asking if Mr Pezzullo had any messages he wanted him to convey before a dinner with Morrison and Turnbull.

It is not suggested the messages show corrupt or illegal conduct but arguably that  Pezzullo overstepped the required impartial nature of heading a government department.

Pezzullo was the first person appointed to head the Home Affairs Department when it was created in 2017.

He has held the job since, keeping the role when Labor took office in 2022.