Perrottet govt looks for ways to “undo” Barilaro NY posting amid worsening scandal

Talks have begun to reverse the decision to appoint John Barilaro to a plum $500,000 a year New York posting – but it will come at a cost. Don’t miss The Sauce.

Talks are underway within the NSW government to force former deputy premier John Barilaro to give up his plum $500,000 a year New York post – even though it could cost taxpayers 39 weeks compensation.

As the crisis enveloping the Perrottet government over its ill-advised appointment of the former Nationals leader continues to escalate, ministers have told The Sauce that discussions were underway on reversing the decision.

While Premier Dominic Perrottet is believed not to have spoken to Mr Barilaro personally in recent days, it is understood Investment and Trade Minister Stuart Ayres has been tasked with fixing the problem.

However, one government source warned it could cost taxpayers should Mr Barilaro – who is rumoured to have sought legal advice – seek his entitlement of a compulsory public service retrenchment.

Talks are underway to force John Barilaro to give up his New York posting. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

“It’s wishful thinking he will go without giving up the 39 weeks pay he will be entitled to,” the source said.

Mr Barilaro has so far declined the opportunity to discuss the matter, with those close to him declaring “contractual obligations” prevented him for speaking.

Whether this will be the case when he is called to give evidence at the NSW Upper House inquiry into his appointment remains to be seen, although the government will be desperately hoping the crisis will be done and dusted by the time the subpoena is in the mail.

First up at the inquiry will be Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown who reported directly to Mr Barilaro before – as Mr Perrottet told state parliament last week – later becoming the “final decision-maker” in choosing a suitable candidate for the New York trade posting. A key question Brown will be asked when she appears on Wednesday will be why Barilaro was chosen over businesswoman Jenny West. Investment NSW had been preparing a draft contract for the job for her before it was suddenly torn up.

Brown had cancelled the independent recruitment process that had been taking place for the role the day before Mr Barilaro announced his resignation from politics.

The other question is why did the government move to make the role subject to a ministerial appointment as Cabinet has allegedly agreed, only for the process to stop, with the public service to choose the candidate.

Government sources have speculated on two possible reasons: the cancellation included that there were issues with West’s suitability and also that Mr Barilaro’s political rivals wanted him out of parliament.

There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Ms Brown.

DUTTON’S DECREE

LIBERAL leader Peter Dutton and Premier Dominic Perrottet took the extraordinary step of turning up to NSW Liberal Party headquarters to attend a meeting of the state executive on Friday, where both read the Riot Act to party officials after the election whitewash.

While Dutton took a diplomatic approach – one source declared he described the executive as “renowned” – Perrottet was more forthright, warning he would turn up again if he felt he had to.

Dutton, as we reported on Friday, told the party officers that there would be no more protecting sitting members via a federal intervention as had happened in the lead up to the election.

Peter Dutton at NSW Party headquarters. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Among them had been Alex Hawke, the right hand-man of former prime minister Scott Morrison who has copped much of the blame for the preselection delays that left the Coalition without candidates in must-win seats until weeks from election day. Dutton told the meeting that he had turned up to get a “feel for the room” before choosing who his representative will be, while also revealing how he wanted to make his office more inclusive with staff from multicultural backgrounds.

“He said he really wanted to focus on multiculturalism and create a more diverse office,” the source said.

WAGS LUNCH

OH TO have been a fly on the wall when the wives and partners of NSW ministers had a get-together in Parliament House on Wednesday.

Hosted by Helen Perrottet – the whip smart lawyer wife of Premier Dominic Perrottet – the lunch was attended by Senator Marise Payne, who is the partner of Tourism and Sport Minister Stuart Ayres as well as David Begg, the husband of Roads Minister Natalie Ward and a senior Liberal Party official as well as principal of legal firm David Begg & Associates.

Also at the lunch was Jacqueline O’Dea, the wife of Lower House Speaker Jonathan O’Dea, Sophie Stokes who is married to Infrastructure Minister Rob Stokes and Elissa Griffin, the partner of Environment Minister James Griffin.

Helen Perrottet hosted a get together in Parliament House. Picture: David Swift

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell’s husband was also present as was the wife of Upper House president Matthew Mason Cox.

Their presence in the House was noted during Question Time when Mr O’Dea acknowledged the presence of Adla Coure, the wife of Multiculturalism Minister Mark Coure, who decided to check in on her husband from the gallery.

Never shy to stir the pot – especially if it involves the Liberals – Nationals MP Melinda Pavey was quick to declare how Adla deserved than just an acknowledgment.

“She deserves a medal,” Pavey yelled.

Given the grief the government is facing over the ill-advised appointment of former Nationals leader John Barilaro months after he quit politics and the furore over the decision to spend an eye-watering $25 million on installing a third pole to fly the Aboriginal flag atop Sydney Harbour Bridge, it would have been interesting to hear what the alternate Cabinet made of it all.

TOP MARKS

SIX high school students will embark on an 11 day tour of historic WWII sites in Japan and Hawaii after scoring top marks for their essay writing as part of the ClubsNSW Premier’s WWII Memorial Tour.

Meeting the winning students in state parliament last week, Premier Dominic Perrottet said it was important that students today continued to talk about the sacrifices and commitment of servicemen and servicewomen and “keep the memory of the spirit of our Diggers alive.”

Students were asked to write a 1000 essay answering the question: Are the lessons of WWII still relevant today?’

Veterans Minister David Elliott said more than 100 entries were received with Ashley Kim from Tara Anglican School for Girls, Kathleen Polson (Menai HS), Elsa McLean (Brigidine College St Ives), Lucas Hepworth (Ambarvale HS), Gabriel Fernandez (St Aloysius College Milsons Point) and Caleb Harrison (Clarence Valley Anglican School) making the cut.

“I’ve read the winning entries and I’m very impressed with the amount of effort and thought that went into the essays, Mr Elliot said.

“The attack on Pearl Harbor and atomic bombing of Hiroshima are two of the most pivotal

moments in the Second World War.”

ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis said the group would be departing on July 21.

LITTLE LEFT

THE Liberal left is in safe hands. While the faction has been smashed federally with the teals takeover of moderate seats, the party has elected a leftie to take the role Young Liberal president.

Dimitri Palmer, who of course works in the office of moderate powerbroker and Treasurer Matt Kean, has taken on the top job which other Liberal greats have filled.

Among his predecessors include Premier Dominic Perrottet, former prime minister John Howard, ex-US ambassador Joe Hockey and past Liberal leader Gladys Berejiklian.

SPOTTED

HEALTH Minister Brad Hazzard was just another bored punter when he joined the snaking queue at the passport office on Friday.

Hazzard would not reveal where he was off to – when The Sauce asked, he declared “the counter”

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