Category: Australia

This was compared with another candidate, whose name is redacted, that exceeded on all four metrics. The panel recommended the unknown candidate for the New York posting, and added Barilaro as well as two others to a talent pool.

In its assessment of the former deputy premier, the panel said it “came to the view that John did have some of the relevant capabilities and experience for the role”.

“However, he had not worked internationally in a role aligned to the experience expected for high level [Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner] it candidates said.

“His lack of business development networks would mean that he would have a considerable learning curve in the role.”

But a second version of the same panel report – dated June 15 – significantly edited Barilaro’s assessment to say he “exceeds” on all four categories, and nominated him as the preferred candidate. It relegated the other three candidates to the talent pool.

The new description of Barilaro said: “Following a review of references, which included the Australian Ambassador to the US [Arthur Sinodinos]the panel concluded that John had the right motivation, capabilities and experience for the role.

“While he has not lived internationally, he has successfully developed international businesses in both his roles… He has represented the state at the highest levels on visits to the US, China, Vietnam and in Europe in a Ministerial capacity.

“While he would have a learning curve on doing business in the US, he had a strong track record of building teams as well as operating in a dynamic environment and had deep understanding of the NSW Trade and Investment environment.”

Batting away mounting pressure from his Liberal colleagues, Ayres on Monday rejected any suggestion that recently released documents have placed him closer to the process.

“Once again, these decisions are decisions for the CEO [of Investment NSW Amy Brown] and I’ve said this on numerous occasions, I do not have the power to direct the CEO of Investment NSW on who they employ as senior executive officers,” he said.

Emails released under parliamentary order last week revealed Ayres recommended a shortlist of candidates to his department secretary and asked for a name – not Barilaro – to be added to the list.

The documents have been released amid an ongoing upper house inquiry examining the decision to appoint Barilaro US trade commissioner. He has since withdrawn from the role, granting his appointment to him was a “distraction” and untenable.

Ayres published a lengthy statement on social media on Sunday night, defending the process that resulted in Barilaro being appointed, insisting it was a decision of the public service in which he could not intervene.

“Not liking Mr Barilaro or his style of politics is not a suitable reason to reject his application, let alone not select him for the role,” it said.

Ayres wrote that “integrity and politics” were at the heart of the issue, and accused NSW Labor of attacking his personal integrity to target his seat of Penrith, which he holds on a wafer-thin margin.

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“[Labor] want you to think that I would park my values ​​and personal commitment to integrity and break the law,” the statement said.

“Every action I have taken has been to remove politics from the recruitment of these roles and put the people of NSW first.”

Barilaro declined to comment. He is scheduled to front the inquiry on August 8 and 12, book-ending the first parliamentary sitting week after the winter break.

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Shared interests with China

At the event, Ardern spoke at length about New Zealand’s relationship with China, saying that even “as China becomes more assertive in the pursuit of its interests”, there are still shared interests that the two countries can and should co-operate on.

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She added that she looked forward to in-person ministerial visits and planned to lead a business delegation to China when COVID measures allowed and that there was the potential for foreign ministerial visits between the two countries as well.

New Zealand has toughened its tone recently on both security and Beijing’s growing presence in the South Pacific, in part due to the signing of a security pact between China and Solomon Islands earlier in the year. But at the same time New Zealand remains dependent on trade with China.

Ardern said that while there were areas that mattered deeply to New Zealand and where the country’s view differed from that of China, New Zealand was willing to engage.

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“We will also advocate for approaches and outcomes that reflect New Zealand’s interests and values, and speak out on issues that do not,” she said.

“Our differences need not define us. But we cannot ignore them,” she said.

New Zealand has consistently expressed concerns about economic coercion, human rights infringement and particularly the treatment of Uyghur in Xinjiang, and democracy advocates in Hong Kong and most recently about the potential militarization of the Pacific. On a number of occasions New Zealand has been part of joint statements on these concerns.

Ardern added managing the differences in the relationship between the two countries would not always be easy and “there were no guarantees”.

Ardern also on Monday urged China to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying Beijing has benefited from international rules and has a duty to uphold them.

“As history shows us repeatedly, when large countries disregard sovereignty and territorial integrity with a sense of impunity, it does not bode well particularly for small countries like New Zealand,” Ardern said.

“And that’s why as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, and in line with its commitment to the UN Charter, we continue to urge China to be clear that it does not support the Russian invasion, and have called on China to use its access and influence to help bring an end to the conflict.”

Reuters, with Bloomberg