Senior NSW bureaucrat Amy Brown has been sacked for her role in the appointment of John Barilaro to a senior trade position.

In a statement issued on Monday, DPC secretary Michael Coutts-Trotter said after reviewing Graeme Head’s final report he had decided Ms Brown, who was responsible for giving Mr Barilaro the job, would not continue in her role leading the Department of Enterprise, Industry and Trade.

“I’ve carefully reviewed Mr Head’s findings and recommendations related to the conduct of the process … and in consultation with Amy Brown, I’ve decided that she will not continue to hold office as Secretary of DEIT,” Mr Coutts Trotter said.

He said holding a senior role in the NSW public service was a privilege that came with a high degree of accountability.

He thanked Ms Brown for her service and said he had appointed Greater Cities Commission CEO Elizabeth Mildwater as acting DEIT secretary from Tuesday September 20.

Mr Head’s final report, handed down on August 16, raised concerns about Mr Brown’s conduct during the recruitment process that saw the job awarded to the former Nationals leader and Deputy Premier earlier this year before Mr Barilaro relinquished the position amid public backlash.

Mr Head found Ms Brown discussed a shortlist of candidates with the then trade minister, Stuart Ayres, arranged for one of the candidates to meet with Mr Ayres while selection was still underway,  and talked to Mr Ayres about the suitability of Mr Barilaro during selection.

 She also finalised contract negotiations with Mr Barilaro before the selection panel had made a final assessment on all candidates.

Ms Brown also failed to inform the panel about her actions, which meant that “certain matters have not been managed fully in keeping with the requirements of the Code of Ethics and Conduct”, Mr Head said in his final report.

An independent review released earlier this month found that Mr Ayres, who resigned from his role as minister following after the Head report but remains in parliament, did not breach his ministerial code of conduct in relation to his role in Mr Barilaro’s appointment.

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