Key Points
- Pressure is mounting on NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet over how John Barilaro landed the US trade role.
- A newly released email is raising questions about the part played by NSW Trade Minister Stuart Ayres played.
Labor says the NSW government's "fingerprints" are all over the controversial appointment of John Barilaro to a trade post in the US, as pressure mounts on Premier Dominic Perrottet over the recruitment process for the lucrative role.
A newly released email is raising fresh questions about the part played by Trade and Investment Minister Stuart Ayres in the recruitment of Mr Barilaro to the $500,000 a year New York-based role.
The appointment of the former deputy premier is being probed by a parliamentary inquiry amid a backlash over the decision, with Labor claiming the government misled parliament over how Mr Barilaro landed the job.
The state opposition has accused Mr Ayres of lying after he said he did not meet with Mr Barilaro during the recruitment process and had maintained a distance from it.
However, recently tabled documents include an email sent by Investment NSW CEO Amy Brown in February, in which she says she discussed a shortlist of candidates with Mr Ayres.
In the email, she says Mr Ayres requested adding a candidate to the selection process. The candidate's name has not been made public.
Another Investment NSW document shows Mr Ayres and Mr Barilaro met on, or before June 16 — the day before it was announced the former deputy premier had won the role — and Mr Ayres had indicated he supported the appointment.
On Friday, Labor leader Chris Minns said the appointment was not at arm's length from the government as claimed by the Perrottet government.
We find out almost day after day a new revelation indicating the government's fingerprints were all over the appointment.NSW Opposition leader Chris Minns
Mr Minns said out of millions of NSW residents, the role went to Mr Barilaro who "just happens to be a long-serving colleague of the premier and Mr Ayres".
"At the end of the day we find out almost day after day a new revelation indicating the government's fingerprints were all over the appointment," Mr Minns said.
Senior public servant Jenny West gave evidence to the inquiry saying she was told her application had been successful, and subsequently lost her senior job at Investment NSW after the offer was withdrawn.
The lucrative job was switched to a political appointment and went to Mr Barilaro, who last month relinquished it saying it had become untenable.
The upper house inquiry's hearings will resume on Wednesday and will call Ms Brown for a second appearance.
Mr Barilaro will give his side of the story to the inquiry on 8 August.
Mr Ayres' office has been contacted for comment.
