Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro says going through a public service recruitment process to get a $500,000 New York trade job gave him “cover” against accusations that something was amiss in the appointment.
Mr Barilaro said during a parliamentary inquiry on Monday that he had done nothing wrong, didn’t create the trade role for his own benefit and got no special treatment during the recruitment process.
He also said he would never have applied for the job if he knew how things would turn out.
“If I knew what I know now I wish I’d never have applied. If I knew what I know now, I wouldn’t have walked into what was a shit show,” he said.
‘Very convenient’
Mr Barilaro confirmed he had brought a cabinet submission to have the appointment changed from an independent panel to ministerial appointment, a submission that was speedily approved by cabinet prior to his resignation from cabinet.
It also meant the position was taken back from senior bureaucrat Jenny West, who had been told the job was hers.
However when Mr Barilaro threw his hat in the ring he ended up being interviewed by a panel just as Ms West had been, because the cabinet submission was never acted upon.
Mr Barilaro said he was happy with the appointment process because it gave him a “cover” to ward off any political attack.
“The independent public service process gave me cover, to take the politics out of it,” Mr Barilaro said.
“If it was a ministerial appointment … the accusations are made that this was a captain’s pick, this was a jobs for the boys.
“The reality became true that I went through a public service independent process people walked away from that accusation.”
Stuart Ayres’ role questioned
Committee member Robert Borskak suggested to Mr Barilaro that former trade minister Stuart Ayers, who has resigned over his role in the affair, was “doing your bidding”.
“Isn’t the true chronology that you sought to create a position that the government could appoint you to that position, that after you left the government, you realised … this legislation isn’t going to get through … because it’s got whiskers all over it?” Mr Borsak put to him.
“You then find out this position is going to proceed on the old basis, as an appointment. You then ring Mr Ayres and … then he sent you a copy of the advertisement and you then applied… and you did not know that Mr Ayers was potentially doing your bidding?”
Committee Chair Cate Faehrmann also pressed Mr Barilaro, saying it was “very convenient” that the appointment didn’t become a ministerial one.
She also suggested that someone was “doing your bidding behind closed doors … and I put it to you that the person who was doing your bidding was minister Ayres”.
Mr Barilaro said he didn’t believe that was the case.
‘No pressure on public servants’
Mr Barilaro also denied that public servants were pressured into selecting him ahead of another very highly qualified female candidate.
“There is no evidence in this hearing that points to me, that I sought to pressure public servants in any way,” he said.
Ms Faehrman replied: “But somebody is potentially was doing your bidding and that is what also doesn’t pass the pub test. Possibly it wasn’t as independent as you are saying it was.”
Barilaro defends ‘apolitical’ public service
It was also revealed on Monday that Mr Barilaro’s referees for the job included secretary of the Department of Regional NSW Gary Barnes, Ambassador to US and former Liberal party leader Arthur Sinodinos, and former NSW Premier and High commissioner to India Barry O’Farrell.
Mr Barilaro said he did not believe public servants would have felt pressure to accept his application because of his referees.
“We have an apolitical public service and what you are questioning is their integrity,” he said.
Mr Barilaro also denied the suggestion put to him by the committee that Mr Barnes, whom he appointed as secretary, was paying back a favour.
“Effectively it’s the case here that you’re the reason why he becomes secretary, and he’s a big reason why you become special candidate to the Americas?” asked Labor MP Daniel Mookhey.
Mr Barilaro replied: “that is a slur on an apolitical public servant. To make that slur, that somehow I did him a favour and he did me one, is wrong.”
You’re making me out to be corrupt.
John Barilaro
He also refuted the suggestion that he had fast-tracked his submission on changing the status of the trade position through cabinet for his own benefit as a “disgusting slur”.
“You’re making me out to be corrupt,” he objected.
Mr Barilaro said he had been through a personal hell over the last seven weeks because of the controversy over his appointment, from which he as since removed himself.
Comment below to have your say on this story.
If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at editorial@governmentnews.com.au.
Sign up to the Government News newsletter
The fact that the role of Trade Commissioner was changed from a public service appointment to a Ministerial appointment says enough to convince anyone with half a brain that the then Minister Barilaro wanted to influence the selection process even though that was handled much the same way in either case. The difference is that Barilaro had resigned his position and left Parliament which led to the replacement Minister stepping in to oversee and influence the process. Selection of retired parliamentarians for high appointments should be the role of Cabinet to help but not allay, the smell of the pub test. The change to the selection criteria to preference Barilaro over the preferred candidate after he had signed his contract stinks enough to suggest the possibility of corruption. Go ICAC.
So isn’t there any rules about jumping into roles you had jurisdiction over during your term like in Federal politics?
Or is it just as week as it was for Pyne with his post job with a def contractor?