Anthony Albanese refuses to say what he knew about Don Farrell handing US trade role to Labor mate

The PM has declined to say whether he knew a woman selected for a top trade job was dumped for a minister’s friend.

Former Labor Senator Chris Ketter. Picture: AAP

Anthony Albanese has refused to say what he knew about the contentious circumstances behind appointing a “Labor mate” to a top government trade job in the US that required his approval.

The Prime Minister’s office has declined to confirm whether Mr Albanese was informed that Chris Ketter was recommended as Australia’s next senior trade commissioner and consul-general in San Francisco – despite a competitive recruitment process having selected a high-ranking female Austrade executive for the position.

Trade Minister Don Farrell announced in July that Mr Ketter, a former one-term Labor backbencher and personal friend, would take up the role.

Mr Ketter, who has no experience in trade, was Senator Farrell’s personal pick for the San Francisco post and the appointment required Mr Albanese’s agreement as a matter for formal approval by cabinet and the executive council.

When Senator Farrell announced Mr Ketter’s appointment in July, he did not disclose that Kirstyn Thomson, head of Austrade’s Americas investment desk, had already been chosen for the position after it was advertised last year.

This information only surfaced publicly in October when The Australian revealed Ms Thomson was selected as the best candidate from a list of about 50 applicants before she was dumped for Mr Ketter, a former union official.

Don Farrell and Anthony Albanese. Picture: Prime Minister’s Office

He is due to take up his appointment in San Francisco in the next week after being trained by Ms Thomson for the past four months in Austrade’s Brisbane office.

The Ketter appointment was approved by Mr Albanese and other ministers despite Foreign Minister Penny Wong declaring in September last year that Labor would move away from political appointments as made under the Morrison government and instead select “more qualified senior officials”.

The appointment has been branded “hypocrisy” by the opposition and Greens after Labor’s fierce criticism last year in similar circumstances when the former NSW government appointed former deputy premier John Barilaro to a senior trade post in New York.

It was later revealed that Jenny West, a senior NSW trade executive, was chosen first from a competitive recruitment process as the best candidate for New York but then dumped. Mr Barilaro, who denies any wrongdoing, later applied and was appointed. He ultimately did not take up the position.

The Australian asked Mr Albanese, through two senior advisers, if he was aware of the prior selection of Ms Thomson as the best qualified person when Senator Farrell recommended Mr Ketter in her place.

Mr Albanese was also asked, in light of Ms Thomson’s earlier selection, whether Mr Ketter’s appointment would go ahead.

The Prime Minister’s office said the matter had been referred to Senator Farrell’s office to provide a government response.

The Australian received no response to a further request, again asking whether Mr Albanese was aware ahead of Mr Ketter’s appointment that Ms Thomson had been chosen.

A spokeswoman for Senator Farrell made no mention of Ms Thomson but said it was standard practice for departments and agencies to prepare lists of candidates as “options”. She said the government would consider other candidates “when there is an advantage to Australia”.

His office did not respond to a further question on whether Ms Thomson and other applicants were applying for a government job in San Francisco or inclusion on a government list.