A senior NSW authorities lawyer has instructed an inquiry into former deputy premier John Barilaro’s appointment to a New York commerce job that claims the position was first given to another person are fallacious.
The parliamentary inquiry resumed on Tuesday, listening to from Division of Enterprise, Commerce and Funding common counsel Chris Carr, who held the identical position with Funding NSW from June final 12 months to April 2022.
Former public servant Jenny West beforehand instructed the inquiry she had been supplied the job of senior commerce and funding commissioner to the Americas.
She subsequently misplaced her senior job at Funding NSW after the New York posting was withdrawn. The abroad position finally went to Mr Barilaro.
The federal government has confronted criticism over John Barilaro’s appointment to the $500,000 a 12 months position. Supply: AAP / BIANCA DE MARCHI/AAPIMAGE
Ms West mentioned Funding NSW CEO Amy Brown instructed her she now not had the job a month after she was supplied the position, saying it “will probably be a gift for somebody”.
The abroad position finally went to Mr Barilaro.
On Tuesday, Mr Carr mentioned he had “restricted” involvement in Mr Barilaro’s appointment and disputed proof beforehand given by different witnesses earlier than the listening to.
He mentioned he was obtainable to reply any questions Mr Barilaro had concerning the contract he was supplied, as he was for different senior commerce and funding commissioner roles.
“It isn’t typical for a common counsel to be overseeing what is actually a folks and tradition course of that is dealt with by the [interview] panels,” he mentioned.
Mr Carr was requested in September to organize recommendation on why the appointment of senior commerce and funding commissioners was a public service appointment, and whether or not it might be a ministerial one.
He instructed the listening to the request got here from Ms Brown or her chief of employees, not from Mr Barilaro, with whom he had little interplay.
Ms Brown beforehand instructed the inquiry the request got here from the previous deputy premier’s workplace.
Ms West’s testimony that she was “totally supplied the job” was “not appropriate”, Mr Carr mentioned.
“My understanding is that Ms West was effectively superior within the course of, however not on the finish of it,” he instructed the inquiry.
Ms West instructed the listening to she had spoken to Mr Carr after studying she wouldn’t be despatched to New York for the job and took a be aware of their dialog on the time.
Throughout a telephone name final September, she mentioned Mr Carr had instructed her he was “horrified” by her state of affairs.
“That is not a phrase I might have used,” Mr Carr instructed the listening to.
Amy Brown throughout a listening to final month into the appointment of John Barilaro. Supply: AAP / AAP
He was not offering authorized recommendation when he spoke with Ms West and didn’t take a be aware of the dialog.
“I had a colleague who was upset and it isn’t my ordinary apply when giving consolation and comfort to a colleague … to take notes and submit them afterward,” he mentioned.
“There was nothing right here that went to my skilled obligations.”
Mr Carr mentioned Ms West’s be aware was a abstract of their dialog and solely her interpretation of it.
He took quite a few questions on discover throughout the listening to, saying it was not “the discussion board or the setting for me to be detailing authorized recommendation” supplied up to now.
Mr Barilaro introduced final month he would withdraw from the position saying it was “not tenable with the quantity of media consideration this appointment has gained”.
He has maintained he adopted the correct processes.
Premier Dominic Perrottet has launched an inner inquiry into the appointment, led by former public service commissioner Graeme Head, which he expects to be finalised within the coming weeks.
