A senior bureaucrat was sent the selection panel report for former public servant Jenny West in order to “discuss” it with Stuart Ayres, further linking the former minister to the recruitment process for the controversial New York trade role.
Ayres resigned from cabinet on Tuesday night as the saga over John Barilaro’s US trade job reached its seventh week and anxious senior Liberals pinned their hopes on Premier Dominic Perrottet being able to pull the government out of its worsening crisis.
Former deputy premier John Barilaro has since withdrawn from the New York trade job, while former trade minister Stuart Ayres, right, was forced to resign from cabinet this week.Credit:SMH/iStock
Investment NSW managing director Kylie Bell was emailed West’s selection panel report ahead of her meeting with Ayres in December – two months after West had already had her offer for the role rescinded and just days before the job was readvertised.
The report, from Investment NSW human resources executive Kristy Manton to Bell, was sent on December 13 with a comment that said “for your discussion with the minister”.
Ayres has confirmed he told former deputy premier John Barilaro that the $500,000-a-year job was going to be readvertised and sent him the newspaper advertisement once it appeared on December 17.
Ayres, who denies any wrongdoing, resigned after Premier Dominic Perrottet was shown a draft excerpt of an independent inquiry into the appointment of John Barilaro to the US job which convinced him the process was not done at “arm’s length” from the government.
However, Ayres’ resignation has not calmed the nerves of Coalition MPs, with some convinced the next few weeks could be particularly rocky for the premier.
A senior Liberal, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said while Perrottet’s leadership was secure for now, any more damaging revelations could result in him losing the confidence of colleagues.
“Dom is OK for now but the next few weeks could be bumpy for him,” the Liberal said.