Barilaro US job inquiry set to probe all NSW trade appointments in wake of claims against Premier – Michmutters
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Australia

Barilaro US job inquiry set to probe all NSW trade appointments in wake of claims against Premier

All overseas senior trade roles are set to be investigated by the inquiry looking into the appointment of NSW former deputy premier John Barilaro to the US job.

Labor will seek to get the inquiry’s terms of references expanded and comes ahead of Mr Barilaro’s appearance on Monday.

And as reports emerge in Nine newspapers claiming Premier Dominic Perrottet had offered to create a new parliamentary trade role for Transport Minister David Elliott.

The report also claims the Premier spoke to Mr Elliott about the agent-general position in London as compensation following manoeuvres that could have seen him removed from cabinet. But that didn’t happen.

Leader of the Opposition in the upper house Penny Sharpe said the allegations against the Premier were very serious.

“We already know that there has been significant meddling in these positions for a long time,” she said.

“The Premier can’t hide behind an inquiry. This goes directly to his involvement and he needs to answer those questions straight away.

“I can indicate today that we will be seeking to expand the terms of reference of that inquiry to include all appointments for the senior Trade and Investment Commission role, obviously, including the UK agent-general.”

a woman wearing glasses standing outdoors speaking
Ms Sharpe says recent allegations against the Premier are very serious.(abcnews)

Mr Perrottet did not hold any press conferences today but the ABC put specific questions to his office asking if he “offered to create a parliamentary trade role” or “discussed the agent general position” with David Elliott.

A spokesperson responded in a statement: “Whoever the Premier considers appointing to his ministry is a matter for the Premier alone.”

The same questions were put to David Elliott but were not directly addressed.

“I’m committed to delivering the NSW government’s infrastructure pipeline, which is helping transform our state, and ensuring our public transport delivers first-class services for the people of NSW,” he said in a statement.

“I have no interest in working overseas again.”

The Premier has declined to appear before the inquiry, according to the opposition but they say it’s time for him “to come clean”.

“We would expect that he’d want to provide information to the public,” Ms Sharpe said.

“It flies in the face of everything the Premier has said for the last seven weeks, that these are arm’s length positions… that have absolutely nothing to do with him.

“And in fact, I think the Premier has said that it would be illegal for him to even interfere in these.”

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