Geoffrey Watson drops in to John Barilaro investigation; Jenny West hits back at CV claims
Jenny West scattered no shortage of bombshells during her evidence to a parliamentary inquiry on Monday examining John Barilaro’s appointment as trade and investment commissioner to the Americas, a role West had been awarded, and then lost, in September last year.
As many are now aware, the posting was snatched away mere weeks after she was informed by her frenemy-boss at Investment NSW, Amy Brown, that she’d nailed the interviews and secured the Premier’s approval to set forth for a highly paid role based in midtown Manhattan.
Monday’s hearing brought to light fresh information that West’s lawyers sought compensation from Investment NSW in the weeks after the role was rescinded. They didn’t succeed, and West contends that she’s since moved on from the matter entirely.
And yet it’s hard not to sense that serious legal ramifications still loom over this inquiry. It was also impossible not to notice the phalanx of lawyers seated directly behind West as she provided her evidence, especially one familiar-looking chap who turned up to the hearing wearing horsehair and a jabot.
That man was none other than barrister Geoffrey Watson SC, who served as counsel assisting the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption during its pursuit of former Labor MLC Eddie Obeid.
Seated alongside Watson was fellow New Chambers barrister Diana Tang and two solicitors from Carroll & O’Dea Lawyers, which specialises in compensation matters.
Margin Call has confirmed they are all representing West on a pro-bono basis during the course of the inquiry, which we understand is slated to continue with further hearings and witnesses.
For the moment, it appears there are no legal proceedings on foot against the government over this matter. But the inquiry has uncovered no end of untidy details concerning West’s unceremonious departure from Investment NSW, and these wouldn’t seem far out of place if they turned up in a statement of claim.
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Yes, Minister
Chief among these wrinkles is the perplexing level of skulduggery and muckraking that took place within Investment NSW to effectively hound West out of a job and end her career as a public servant.
As reported by Margin Call last week, Brown gave confidential evidence to the inquiry on June 29 criticising West’s work ethic and curriculum vitae, explaining that both were subject to workplace inquiries that found her to be unsuitable for the trade posting.
What made these inquiries so unusual, however, is that they were conducted after West had already been told the position was going to be rescinded, giving them the appearance of the kind of ass-covering departments undertake when they’re under threat. But from what, exactly?
Margin Call understands the inquiries were conducted just as those legal letters were fired off by West’s solicitors to Investment NSW, seeking compensation over her shabby treatment. Not only had she missed out on a role in the Big Apple, but her position at the agency was also being made redundant.
Brown’s inquiries would go on to uncover a slew of rather petty concerns with West’s behaviour, most of them so inane as to not be worth printing. Other were more serious, including that West allegedly embroidered aspects of her CV and had recently gone absent from her official duties.
Remarkably, none of this was put directly to West by her boss for a response; she learned of these inquiries only after Margin Call printed Brown’s transcript of evidence last week.
Thus on Monday it was West’s turn to fire back against these allegations, and on our reading it would appear that some of Brown’s evidence has deteriorated substantially.
Her claim that West routinely disappeared from work was put to bed almost immediately with medical certificates proving she had been on sick leave at the time. How this obvious explanation eluded Brown’s inquiries is unclear and somewhat suspicious.
The alleged concerns surrounding West’s CV were similarly dismissed, and convincingly so.
“My CV was given to an independent panel well ahead of the selection process,” West told the hearing. “It was independently checked and vetted by an agency which has the skills to do so. The result of that vetting was part of the process which resulted in my selection. I stand by my CV.”
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Visionary wanted
Look who’s hiring. World Vision Australia, the Christian charity known for asking donors to sponsor a hungry child, has quietly put the word out that it need a corporate affairs and stakeholder relations manager.
It’s a new role, apparently, and we’re told the search is being managed by Temple Executive Search’s Rebecca Tabakoff. We hear the job pulls a salary in the ballpark of almost $300,000 per year, and while some might say that’s steep for a not-for-profit, there’s that perennial question of how else one goes about attracting talent.
Margin Call understands the position was created by Daniel Wordsworth, who was appointed CEO in January last year. The organisation is planning to step up its activities across the media and in corporate and government spheres.
We’ll await to see what that brings, but, for now, all we can summon is what the great Sam Kinison used to say about solving the problem of world hunger.
Medical skirmish gets pulses racing
Most lawyers will tell you their work doesn’t save lives, but a case starting on Monday could prove the exception.
‘The scapegoating of business has to stop’: literal alarm at corporate Oscars
Seats were in short supply at business’s equivalent of the Oscars, but the speeches didn’t miss and at least one big name couldn’t wait to hot-foot it out of there before the dessert plates were even cleared.