Trade Minister Stuart Ayres says US trade post selection was disrupted due to Covid

Trade Minister Stuart Ayres said in March that the initial selection ­process for a New York trade commissioner was withdrawn due to ‘Covid’. The position was later given to ex-deputy premier John Barilaro.

Trade Minister Stuart Ayres claimed earlier this year that the reason the initial selection ­process for the New York trade post was “withdrawn” was ­because of “Covid”.

The comment, made to a budget estimates hearing on March 8, was in response to questions being posed by the NSW opposition on the recruitment process for the senior trade and investment commissioner position to the US.

However, the answer by Mr Ayres has now been seized on by the opposition, which claims it directly contradicts government explanations that a second round of the selection process was started due to the lack of a suitable candidate.

The discrepancies come as two more witnesses prepare to appear before an upper house inquiry investigating the processes that led to the appointment of former deputy premier John Barilaro to the $500,000-a-year post.

Mr Barilaro withdrew from the role last month.

Trade Minister Stuart Ayres, with Premier Dominic Perrottet in the background. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

When asked for an update on the recruitment process of the trade posts by Labor MPs earlier this year, Mr Ayres explained that the initial process had been withdrawn due to the pandemic.

“We did open a round for New York earlier,” Mr Ayres told the hearing. “We launched that smack bang in the middle of Covid impacts … We thought that had quite a profound impact on the people who made applications so we withdrew that process, delayed it and started it later when Covid started to subside.”

Former deputy premier John Barilaro withdrew from the US trade commissioner role. Picture NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard.

Premier Dominic Perrottet told state parliament last month how the first recruitment round had simply not identified a ­suitable candidate, declaring that was the advice he had been given from “the secretary of the department”.

The Premier — who has sought to distance himself from the appointment, including ordering an independent review — has also stated that he was never aware of a note signed by his predecessor Gladys Berejiklian confirming public servant Jenny West had been given the job.

Documents released to parliament also included a brief approved by Mr Ayres which confirmed Ms West was the “successful candidate” in the first recruitment process.

The offer to Ms West was rescinded the following month, with Mr Barilaro appointed after a second job search.

Last week, Ms West sensationally claimed Head of Investment NSW Amy Brown had told her that she was no longer being appointed, and that the job “would be a present for someone”.

Ms Sharpe said the explanation given by Mr Ayres in budget estimates only raised further questions about the recruitment process for the post.

The first witness to appear before the inquiry on Tuesday is Enterprise, Investment and Trade Department general counsel Chris Carr, followed by a staffer for Mr Barilaro.