Barilaro job inquiry turning crosshairs on to Premier Perrottet

The Barilaro job ­affair inquiry will seek to have its terms of reference expanded so it can examine reports Premier ­Dominic Perrottet spoke to ­a minister about a lucrative overseas trade post.

Former NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Adam Yip

The NSW upper house committee inquiring into the Barilaro job ­affair will seek to have its terms of reference expanded so it can examine reports that Premier ­Dominic Perrottet spoke to ­another minister about a lucrative overseas trade post, as the jobs-for-the-boys scandal widens.

In what is shaping up to be a torrid week for the government, former deputy premier John Barilaro is set to be grilled by the committee on Monday, while Treasurer Matt Kean and Transport Minister David Elliott face off in a bitter contest for the deputy leadership on Tuesday. Labor leader in the NSW Legislative Council Penny Sharpe said Mr Barilaro would be questioned over his role in creating the $500,000 a year New York trade position, in changing the way in which the positions were appointed, and in discussions as he applied for – and was eventually offered – the job.

“What did he do when he applied for the job?” Ms Sharpe asked. “Who did he speak to? And what guarantees if any were given to him through that selection process?”

Mr Barilaro gave up the New York post last month amid the growing scandal around his appointment.

In a leak seemingly designed to damage Mr Perrottet, reports appeared over the weekend claiming he had offered to create a parliamentary trade role for Mr Elliott as a “sweetener” for dumping him from cabinet and also spoke to him about the agent general position in London.

Labor will seek to expand the terms of reference of the inquiry to include all appointments for the Senior Trade and Investment Commission roles, including the UK agent general, and will pursue more documents.

“These are not positions to be doled out to your friends, these are important positions … not as a way to buy off the minister,” Ms Sharpe said.

Mr Perrottet would not comment on the claims. A spokesman said: “Whoever the Premier considers appointing to his ministry is a matter for the Premier alone.”

The latest crisis comes after a week in which the Premier sacked small business minister Eleni Petinos over serious allegations of bullying levelled against her by staff, then effectively forced the resignation of party deputy Stuart Ayres.

Mr Perrottet cited an excerpt from an independent departmental review into the Barilaro appointment by former public service commissioner Graeme Head that found Mr Ayres had not been at “arm’s length” from the process and may have breached the ministerial code of conduct.

Last week, Investment NSW chief Amy Brown acknowledged in evidence to the parliamentary inquiry that Mr Ayres had not kept himself at arm’s length from the appointment and that there were “multiple intersection points” with him throughout the process.

Ms Brown is also scheduled to give evidence on Monday, her third appearance before the inquiry.

Amy Brown answers questions during the inquiry into the appointment of John Barilaro as Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas at NSW Parliament House in Sydney. Picture: NCA Newswire/Gaye Gerard

Labor foreshadowed the committee would also ask Mr Ayres and Mr Elliott to appear before the committee. Mr Perrottet has already declined to appear, saying he is waiting to see the final report prepared by Mr Head.

While acknowledging the upper house could not force the Premier to appear, Ms Sharpe said the committee wanted to hear from him.

“The idea that the Premier of NSW was discussing with one of his ministers the opportunity for him to go to London, as some sort of consolation prize for perhaps being dumped from the ministry, is a very serious allegation and it flies in the face of everything the Premier has said for the last seven weeks,” Ms Sharpe said.

The growing storm around the appointments comes as Mr Kean, a moderate faction powerbroker, looks set to defeat Mr Elliott, a conservative, in Tuesday’s party room ballot for the NSW Liberal Party’s deputy leadership vacated by Mr Ayres. A war of words broken out last week between the two contenders, with Mr Elliott slamming claims by Mr Kean as “complete bullshit” and “lies”.

In June, an exasperated Mr Perrottet warned Liberal ministers to stop fighting in public or risk losing their jobs.