The Perrottet government is bracing for its most politically challenging week in power, with former deputy premier John Barilaro to appear at a parliamentary inquiry into his trade appointment today and a bitter internal spat erupting within the Liberals over the deputy leadership.
The parliamentary probe into Barilaro’s appointment to a $500,000 a year US trade role that he withdrew from will also be expanded to examine the agent-general’s role in London amid revelations Premier Dominic Perrottet canvassed the job with one of his ministers.
Premier Dominic Perrottet had discussions with Transport Minister David Elliott about trade roles in the event Elliott was dumped from cabinet.Credit:Louise Kennerley
the herald on Sunday revealed that Perrottet offered to create a parliamentary trade job for Transport Minister David Elliott as a sweetener for him being dumped from cabinet and also discussed the agent-general role with him.
The Liberals are caught in a nasty internal spat over electing a new deputy leader, after former trade minister Stuart Ayres was forced to quit the role over his involvement in the Barilaro appointment was highlighted in a draft report into the saga. Ayres denies any wrongdoing.
Treasurer Matt Kean wants the deputy position, while Elliott has also indicated he would nominate, although in a bid to block Kean, he is encouraging several women to consider running.
Elliott is pushing Local Government Minister Wendy Tuckerman for the position. Tuckerman’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Sunday.
One senior minister, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said, “everyone is incredibly nervous” about the coming week, while another said it would be the most difficult they had faced under Perrottet’s leadership.
Government sources with knowledge of discussions between the premier and Elliott have confirmed Perrottet this year canvassed two trade-related options with the transport minister, including a parliamentary secretary position that did not exist.
The discussions came after Elliott signaled his intention to contest the federal seat of Parramatta in the May election, prompting the premier to promise Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons that she would be promoted to cabinet as a replacement if she agreed to abandon her federal ambitions.