John Barilaro fronts parliamentary inquiry into US trade job, as it happened

Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro has told an inquiry he wishes he never applied for a lucrative US-based trade job, saying he has experienced “significant” trauma as a result of it.

Look back on the day’s events.

6h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 7:20am

By Paige Cockburn

Closing the blog

Thanks for joining me today, the inquiry has now adjourned for the day.

John Barilaro will give further evidence on Friday.

6h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 7:14am

By Paige Cockburn

Barilaro contacted Amy Brown about two candidates for a trade job

Amy Brown says in August 2021 then deputy premier John Barilaro told her he was going to refer two people for the India and Singapore trade commissioner roles.

They were former Labor leader for NSW, Jodi McKay, and former Liberal MP Pru Goward.

“I called them both and told them how to apply,” Ms Brown said.

“I knew I didn’t have to interview them… but I was keen to add them to the list.”

Neither Ms McKay or Ms Goward were successful in the recruitment process.

6h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 6:52am

By Paige Cockburn

Ayres said he didn’t want to get involved

At another point, Stephen Cartwright also sought to change the structure of his salary package for more favourable tax treatment.

Again this request was rejected by his boss, Amy Brown, and again he escalated the issue to Stuart Ayres.

Ms Brown said Mr Ayres called her and told her about a Whatsapp message he had received from Mr Cartwright.

“[He said] you can do whatever you want but it might be a good idea to benchmark against other states.

“He said he didn’t want to get involved”.

Ms Brown said the fact Mr Cartwright went over her head was “highly inappropriate” and their relationship by that point “wasn’t great”.

6h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 6:42am

By Paige Cockburn

Back to the inquiry…

Amy Brown says the Agent-General for the UK, Stephen Cartwright, fought for off-shore school fees to be added to his salary after he got the job.

Investment NSW rejected this request and Mr Cartwright responded by saying he would escalate the issue to the premier, trade minister (Stuart Ayres) or Michael Coutts-Trotter, the secretary of the department of Premier and Cabinet.

“[He said] the current outcome is not what I was offered.”

Despite his connections, Ms Brown says there was no variation to Mr Cartwright’s contract.

6h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 6:35am

By Paige Cockburn

Key Event

David Elliot won’t run for deputy leadership

Just stepping outside of the inquiry for a moment..

Transport Minister David Elliot has announced he will not run for the deputy leadership of the New South Wales Liberal Party after the resignation of Stuart Ayres from cabinet.

Mr Ayres resigned last week due to concerns about his involvement in the John Barilaro job saga.

This comes amid allegations Premier Dominic Perrottet offered to create a job for Mr Elliott in exchange for dumping him from Cabinet. Both the Premier and David Elliot have denied the allegations.

The deputy leadership is due to be determined at a party room meeting tomorrow.

David Elliot(ABC News)

Mr Elliot has told Nine radio he has decided not to run, after a discussion with Mr Perrottet. 

“I’ve been in touch with the Premier today and in accordance with his wishes I don’t think I’ll be putting my name forward tomorrow,” he said

“I don’t think that’s going to be in the best interests of the party and I think it’s in Dominic’s best interests for us to have some unity for the parliament over the course of the next eight months as we go to an election.”

Earlier today Treasurer Matt Kean confirmed he would run as Deputy NSW Liberal leader. 

7h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 6:08am

By Paige Cockburn

‘High calibre’ appointments for trade roles

As negotiations with Stephen Cartwright hit a low point, the now premier’s chief of staff told Amy Brown that a high salary was justified.

“He (told me) the opportunities between NSW and the UK were enormous.

“Which is true, particularly when it comes to foreign direct investment.

“[He said it] was very important to have someone high calibre in the role.”

7h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 5:55am

By Paige Cockburn

Representative for Britain wanted $800K

NSW’s agent-general to Britain, Europe and Israel, Stephen Cartwright wanted a salary of $800,000 a year, the inquiry has heard.

Amy Brown said this was “unrealistic” and she had to negotiate the figure down.

“I was certain this wasn’t going to be acceptable.”

Mr Mookhey said this expectation by Mr Cartwright would have made him the second highest public servant in NSW.

Mr Cartwright’s recruitment has come under question by the inquiry who is probing whether he received any special treatment.

This afternoon Ms Brown said Mr Cartwright often brought up his connections to the deputy premier and treasurer.

“He thought he had an understanding of the terms he would be coming in on.”

7h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 5:42am

By Paige Cockburn

Key Event

Barilaro’s girlfriend had heads up about US trade job

Emails have shown that Mr Barilaro’s girlfriend and former media advisor, Jennifer Lugsdin, had advance warning that the US trade job was going to be advertised.

At the time she was working at Investment NSW, and received an email from the head of communications on December 10 about the decision to advertise.

The job ad was made public on December 17.

7h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 5:31am

By Paige Cockburn

Amy Brown questioned about Barilaro’s relationship

Ms Brown said she remembers a call from Mr Barilaro before August 2021 where he recommended his then senior media advisor, Jennifer Lugsdin, for an upcoming opening at Investment NSW.

Mr Barilaro and Ms Lugsdin are in a relationship, but it did not begin while he was deputy premier.

Ms Brown said Barilaro made no mention of his personal relationship with Ms Lugsdin on the call.

Ms Lugsdin later got the job with Investment NSW.

8h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 5:12am

By Paige Cockburn

Key Event

It was an ‘error’ to offer Barilaro the job

Amy Brown says in hindsight, she shouldn’t have offered Mr Barilaro the job and commenced contract negotiations when she did.

She said she was under a lot of pressure to conclude negotiations so the appointment could be announced by June 17.

“As (NSW public service commissioner Kathrina Lo) had not seen the (panel) report, I should have resisted the pressure.”

She acknowledged the “high degree of ministerial influence” made it difficult to run an optimal recruitment process.

8h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 4:55am

By Paige Cockburn

Amy Brown begins her evidence

The chief executive of Investment NSW, Amy Brown, is now giving evidence for the rest of the afternoon.

This is her third time at the inquiry.

8h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 4:52am

By Paige Cockburn

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. John Barilaro says he is the ‘victim’ in trade role inquiry 8h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 4:49am

By Paige Cockburn

Questions about Barilaro’s relationship with media advisor

The inquiry has warned Barilaro he will be questioned further on Friday about his past relationship with his former media advisor, Jennifer Lugsdin.

Ms Lugsdin later got a job at Investment NSW and according to Mr Mookhey, was involved with press releases and advertising of the US trade position.

Chair Cate Faehrmann says she takes no joy in asking questions about a personal relationship but the inquiry must determine how Mr Barilaro knew the US trade job was forthcoming.

9h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 4:26am

By Paige Cockburn

Barilaro says there’s no evidence against him

The chair of the inquiry Cate Faehrmann has been engaged in a fiery exchange with Barilaro.

Ms Faehrmann says the selection process might not have been as independent as he thought it was.

But Barilaro has asked how he is responsible for that.

“There is no evidence in this hearing that points to me, that I…pressured public servants in any way. There’s been none, zero.

“You have heard from apolitical public servants…who said I was capable…and they are the ones who offered me the job.

“What did I do wrong? I got offered a job and I accepted the job.”

9h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 4:19am

By Paige Cockburn

Key Event

‘I’m the victim’: Barilaro

Barilaro says he understands why some members of the public might be suspicious of his recruitment.

But he is adamant the process was independent, and he wasn’t aware of what was going on in the background.

He denies knowing Stuart Ayres was “bidding” for him.

“I’m disappointed it hasn’t been as clean as it should have been.”

“I’m the victim of that, not the perpetrator.”

He says he isn’t surprised about the political attacks, as he predicted them, but he thought he could stand behind an independent recruitment process.

9h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 4:02am

By Paige Cockburn

‘You’re making me out to be corrupt’

Barilaro has flatly rejected any suggestion he fast-tracked a cabinet submission in relation to trade roles so he could apply for one.

The cabinet submission, which would have transformed the trade roles into ministerial appointments, was proposed and passed in seven working days.

Mr Mookhey argued this was rushed through in September because he knew Ms Berejiklian would have to resign in October as a result of ongoing ICAC questioning.

“I will absolutely refute that disgusting slur and accusation,” Barilaro said.

“You’re making me out to be corrupt.

“An ICAC interview takes months and months.”

9h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 3:50am

By Paige Cockburn

Key Event

Barilaro says he’s the ‘unluckiest’ man in NSW politics

Tensions are high in the Jubilee Room right now.

John Barilaro has accused the opposition members on the committee of pursuing irrelevant questions.

He says it doesn’t matter if his colleagues knew when he was going to retire.

But Mr Mookhey says the timeline of events make it seem like Mr Barilaro knew Gladys Berejiklian was going to retire in October 2021, which would clear the way for him to make his exit from politics at the same time.

“It looks like you have fast-tracked that cabinet submission (in September) so the job was vacant by the time you retired.

“If we’re to believe your version of events, we’d have to basically conclude that you’re one of the luckiest men in NSW politics.”

Barilaro strongly rejected this.

“No actually, the unluckiest man in NSW politics I’d argue, because of those series of events.”

9h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 3:29am

By Paige Cockburn

Key Event

Barilaro challenged about when he decided to retire

When Mr Barilaro put forward a submission to change trade jobs to ministerial appointments, he had already signaled his retirement from politics.

In a statement from his defamation case, dated September 24, he said he didn’t want to face another election.

Then on September 27 cabinet dealt with the re-categorisation of the overseas trade roles.

“You’re suggesting that I knew I was going to retire therefore I was creating this job for myself.

“I know where you are going with this, that is absolute rubbish that I completely refute.”

Barilaro said he never hesitated to tell people he was going to retire from politics at some point.

He said when his submission was put to cabinet, his colleagues would have been well aware of his intentions not to face the next election.

He said all members of cabinet, bar one who he would not reveal, supported the proposal.

10h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 3:11am

By Paige Cockburn

Key Event

Barilaro says public sector wasn’t under pressure to hire him

Mr Mookhey says listing the former premier of the state as a referee would put the public sector under a lot of pressure to hire Barilaro.

“No… we have apolitical public service personnel … what you are now questioning is their integrity,” Mr Barilaro said.

“The reality is people call on all sorts of people their world, their life and work journey.

“I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by some very high profile individuals.”

10h agoMon 8 Aug 2022 at 3:04am

By Paige Cockburn

Third referee was Barry O’Farrell

John Barilaro has revealed his third referee as former premier of NSW Barry O’Farrell.

Earlier today Mr Barilaro did not want to disclose the third referee until he had checked with the person in question during the lunch break.

“I see him…as a dear friend,” Mr Barilaro said.

“I sent him a message and he offered to be my referee.”

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