‘Jobs for the boys’ questions raised over multiple government job offers for Stephen Cartwright

A former business lobbyist given a plum trade role in London leveraged another job offer from a Minister during negotiations for the UK gig, according to inquiry documents.

A former business lobbyist given a plum trade role in London leveraged another job offer from a government Minister during negotiations for the UK gig, according to an email released to an inquiry.

Newly released emails sent by now-London agent general Stephen Cartwright to recruiters for the trade job include that a Minister – identified as then-skills and education Minister Geoff Lee – had offered him a job as the chair of TAFE NSW.

Mr Cartwright said he needed a quick answer as to whether his pay requests could be met because of the competing job offer.

In his email, sent on March 31 just a day after he was interviewed for the role by a recruitment panel, Mr Cartwright stated a follow-up meeting with then-Investment NSW deputy secretary Jenny West was “an important one to have soon”.

In the email, he stated “I am receiving other offers from the government (eg I have recently been offered the Chairmanship of TAFE NSW by another Minister) and from the private sector, and that I have been stalling them as best I can, but that I would need to lock down a start date sooner rather than later”.

London agent-general Stephen Cartwright leveraged a job offer from skills and education Minister Geoff Lee.

In his email to the recruiter, Mr Cartwright also alleged he had discussions with then-Deputy Premier John Barilaro which he said led to then-Treasurer Dominic Perrottet agreeing “the cost of suitable family accommodation (in London) … could be taken care of by the NSW Govt outside of the salary package”.

Mr Perrottet last week denied there had been any private discussions regarding the role.

Shadow Treasurer Daniel Mookhey raised concerns the competing offers contributed to a “jobs for the boys” culture. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Mr Lee confirmed to The Telegraph he had selected and interviewed Mr Cartwright for the role in February 2021, but he had then pulled out. Mr Lee’s portfolio had responsibility for picking TAFE board candidates, subject to approval by cabinet.

Labor MP Daniel Mookhey said the competing job offers raised questions if there was a “job for the boys” culture in parliament.

“It certainly does raise further questions as to why Stephen Cartwright was saying that he was offered the position of chairman of TAFE at the same time he was competing for the agent general job,” he said.

Mr Barilaro, Mr Cartwright and Investment NSW were contacted for comment.