us trade job inquiry – Michmutters

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John Barilaro warned to prepare for inquiry grilling over girlfriend’s job at Investment NSW

John Barilaro warned to prepare for inquiry grilling over girlfriend's job at Investment NSW

Former deputy premier John Barilaro has been told to prepare for a grilling about his girlfriend’s job at Investment NSW later this week, as the saga into his appointment to a lucrative trade position continues.

Yesterday, Mr Barilaro faced a parliamentary inquiry into his appointment as the state’s Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas — a prestigious job based in New York which he has since withdrawn from.

During his evidence yesterday, Mr Barilaro said he had spoken to Premier Dominic Perrottet, then-trade minister Stuart Ayres and Treasurer Matt Kean about how he wanted the $500,000-a-year role.

He also told the inquiry he recommended his former media advisor, and girlfriend, Jennifer Lugsdin, for a role at Investment NSW last year.

Investment NSW was, initially, the government body charged with hiring for the New York job, as well as several similar posts around the globe.

Investment NSW CEO Amy Brown, who returned to the inquiry yesterday for a third time, said she remembered a call from Mr Barilaro in which he said Ms Lugsdin was looking for new opportunities.

“He heard we were building out our media and communications … I said to him she is welcome to apply for such opportunities and my head of media and communications is making arrangements,” Ms Brown said.

She said Mr Barilaro didn’t make any comments about his relationship with Ms Lugsdin, and, she was awarded a contract with Investment NSW in August 2021.

Mr Barilaro told the inquiry he was not in a relationship with her while he was deputy premier, or in cabinet.

It was also revealed that Ms Lugsdin had advanced warning of when the New York job was going to be advertised.

She was included in an email chain sent on December 9 which stated Mr Ayres — who was a trade minister at the time — was keen for the US role to be advertised “this year”.

It was formally advertised on December 17.

Mr Barilaro was told to prepare for questioning about Ms Lugsdin’s employment when hearings resume on Friday.

“Someone you were in a relationship with… was clearly aware of the various processes associated with the advertising and the nature of [the US trade] position,” Labor’s Penny Sharpe told him at yesterday’s hearing.

Mr Barilaro said Ms Lugsdin wasn’t working at Investment NSW when he applied for the job in January 2022 as her short-term contract ended in December 2021.

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John Barilaro says trade role saga is a “personal hell”

Last week, Mr Ayres resigned from his portfolios and leadership position after a separate review into the appointment raised concerns about his potential role.

I have denies wrongdoing.

Today, Liberal MPs are set to determine who will become the party’s new deputy leader.

Transport Minister David Elliott yesterday announced he would not contest the position, after a discussion with the Premier, who “laid down his demand for unity.”

“Dominic [Perrottet] said to me that he’d prefer not to have a ballot, he certainly didn’t tell me to withdraw,” he said.

“I think it’s in Dominic [Perrottet’s] best interests for us to have some unity for the parliament over the course of the next eight months as we go to an election.

“Yes, I’m disappointed. Yes, I’ve had to eat humble pie … I’ve had to say to the Premier, you’re the boss.”

a man standing on stairs smiling
Matt Kean is the only declared candidate for the job of deputy leader of the NSW Liberals.(AAP: Dan Himbrechts)

Mr Elliott’s withdrawal leaves Treasurer Matt Kean as the only declared candidate for the deputy role after he confirmed his intentions yesterday.

“I’ll be sticking my hand up and it’s up to colleagues to determine whether or not they think I’ve got the credentials to support our leader and to support our party at this time,” Mr Kean said.

“I welcome other candidates putting themselves forward.”

Mr Kean also ruled out any leadership challenge to the Premier.

“I want to go to an election where Dom Perrottet takes forward the Liberal Party and our strong, positive plan for the future up against [Opposition Leader] Chris Minns,” he said.

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Australia

Sydney news: Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro to face US trade role inquiry

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Here’s what you need to know this morning.

Barilaro due to give evidence

Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro will appear today before the inquiry created to investigate his appointment as NSW’s trade commissioner to the Americas.

Mr Barilaro has withdrawn from the $500.00-a-year job based in New York after a public outcry but he will be expected to answer “many questions” in his first appearance at the inquiry.

“You want to understand his role in the creation of these positions, his role in the changing nature of the way in which these positions were appointed,” leader of the opposition in the upper house, Penny Sharpe, said yesterday.

“And any of the discussions that he had with either Minister [Stuart] Ayres or… [NSW Premier Dominic] Perrottet, or indeed anyone else in the government, as he applied for and was eventually offered that job.”

Ms Sharpe also said Labor would seek to expand the inquiry’s terms of reference to include all international senior trade appointments after alleged reports the Premier had offered to create a parliamentary trade role for Transport Minister David Elliott, and had also spoken to him about the agent- general position in London.

In the afternoon, the inquiry will again hear from Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown in her third appearance before the committee.

Plan to tackle high suicide rate

The NSW opposition has announced a plan to help reduce high rates of suicide.

The proposed legislation includes a specialized suicide-prevention council and mandatory suicide-prevention plans in state government departments.

Opposition Mental Health Spokesman Ryan Park said the legislation would be based on successful government programs in other countries.

“This is above politics,” Mr Park said.

“This is an issue that all of us as legislators have got to work with health experts, education experts, and community experts, as well as those with lived experience, from those with loved ones who have taken their own life, about what we can do in this area.”

NRL great weighs into oval upgrade debate after railing collapses

people standing on a stand as it collapses and they fall
Spectators fell after a railing gave way at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday.(Twitter: Ryan Fitzgerald)

Tigers legend Benny Elias says the collapse of a railing at Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval on Saturday shows why the ground needs an urgent upgrade.

Dozens of spectators fell several meters onto concrete at a schoolboys’ rugby match when a railing at the aging ground gave way.

Leichhardt is one of several suburban ovals the NRL wants the state government to pay to upgrade, threatening to take the grand finale elsewhere if it does not happen.

Mr Elias, who has watched and played many NRL games at the Tigers’ spiritual home, said it was for more than just rugby league.

In a statement, Sport Minister Alister Henskens said the government was committed to upgrading suburban stadiums.

“However, following recent natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is appropriate that further investment … is staged,” he said.

The council is investigating the accident.

Foster children feel excluded, report finds

A report has found children and young people in out-of-home care in NSW feel excluded from critical decisions affecting their lives.

The NSW Advocate for Children and Young People report surveyed about 100 people aged from six to 24 years.

Spokesperson Zoe Robinson said the organization had made 19 recommendations to the government to ensure young people felt heard in the foster care system.

Monkeypox vaccine rollout

a person holding a vial of vaccine and injection
More than 5,000 doses of the Jynneos smallpox vaccine will be administered to targeted groups.(abcnews)

NSW’s monkeypox vaccine program starts today, with authorities targeting those deemed to be at the highest risk of contracting the virus.

NSW Health will supply 5,500 doses of the Jynneos smallpox vaccine to targeted groups.

There have been 33 confirmed cases in NSW, with the majority of those picked up overseas.

Men who have sex with men are considered most at risk of contracting monkeypox, which spreads through skin-to-skin contact.

Gay and bisexual men and men who have sex with men who are homeless, sex workers or have significant drug issues which impair their judgment are among the specific groups to receive the first doses.

Crown Sydney casino opens today

the outside of a tall building
Crown was granted a conditional license in June.(Facebook: Crown Sydney)

Crown Sydney casino will open its doors today, less than two years after it was deemed unfit to hold a gaming license.

The casino will be officially opened at an invitation-only event at Barangaroo tonight, with members and guests able to use the facilities on Tuesday.

A public inquiry into Crown revealed allegations of criminal activity and money laundering, and the company was deemed unfit to hold a gaming license.

However, in June the NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority granted Crown a conditional licence, saying it would closely monitor initial operations.

Newmarch inquest entering third week

An inquest into 19 COVID-19 deaths in a Sydney aged care facility is entering its third week.

Deputy state coroner Derek Lee is investigating a two-month outbreak that resulted in 19 deaths at Newmarch House, Kingswood, in 2020.

The inquest has heard some workers refused to look after residents who had tested positive, and at one point there were no staff to serve meals.

It has heard there was intense pressure on staff, and some external staff replacements were so unskilled they were of no benefit.

Families and friends have raised concerns about why residents with COVID-19 were not transferred to hospital.

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Categories
Australia

Sydney news: Political staffer, public servants to appear at Barilaro’s fourth US trade job hearing

a man standing outdoors in a paddock holding onto a fence

Here’s what you need to know this morning.

Barilaro US trade job inquiry to meet again today

The New South Wales upper house inquiry into the appointment of former deputy premier John Barilaro to the lucrative US trade role will agree again on Friday.

An additional fourth hearing comes after the resignation of Trade Minister Stuart Ayres on Wednesday, following questions raised about his involvement in the process.

Mr Ayres denies any wrongdoing but will be investigated for a possible breach of the Ministerial Code of Conduct.

Mr Barilaro’s former chief of staff, Siobhan Hamblin, the managing director of Investment NSW, Kylie Bell, and the Public Sector Commissioner, Kathrina Lo, will give evidence from 10am.

Earlier in the week, in her second appearance before the committee, Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown granted the appointment was not done “at arm’s length” from the state government.

Mr Barilaro — who has withdrawn from the $500,000-a-year job — is due to appear at the inquiry on Monday, August 8.

Meanwhile, the NSW opposition leader Chris Minns said it does not make sense to have highly paid Trade Commissioners based overseas when the state’s finances are under extreme pressure.

He said Labor would abolish the six Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner positions, if it wins the state election in March.

“The modern Australian economy, particularly when you’re chasing export opportunities, is so diverse and so big that a single person driving that agenda around the world just doesn’t make sense,” Mr Minns said.

COVID-19 cases in state slowdown

NSW Health says its latest surveillance data suggests that COVID-19 infections have peaked and hospital admissions have plateaued across the state.

The report — which analyzes the week ending July 30 — found the rate of COVID-19 notifications per 100,000 people had decreased, or remained stable, across all local health districts.

Infections have also decreased, or remained stable, across all age groups, except those aged between 10 and 19 years.

The seven-day, rolling average of daily hospital admissions also decreased by 14.8 per cent.

Meanwhile, the highly “sticky” BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants are still the dominant strains, rising to 97 per cent of specimens sampled at the end of last week, compared to 94 per cent at the end of the previous week.

NSW Health says there is still no evidence of a difference in disease severity between these and previous Omicron variants.

Monkeypox doses available soon

A woman holds a mock-up vial labeled "Monkeypox vaccine"
The vaccine will be eligible for some people from Monday.(Reuters: Given Ruvic/Illustration)

Those most at risk from monkeypox in NSW can access the first doses of the smallpox vaccine from Monday 8 August, as part of a targeted rollout across the state.

NSW Health has secured the first 5,500 doses for high-risk groups, such as people with suppressed immune systems, sex workers and homeless men who have sex with men.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said doctors will identify people who should be vaccinated against Monkeypox and more information will be released in coming days about how to register interest.

Australia has recorded about 60 cases of Monkeypox, which is a usually mild disease similar to smallpox, and until May was endemic to Central and West Africa.

Another 30,000 doses will be delivered to the state next month.

Man charged with stalking teacher

A man has been charged with intimidating and stalking a teacher at Auburn in Sydney’s West.

Police say the 26-year-old threatened the teacher at the basketball courts of the PCYC on Wednesday.

He has been granted bail and is due to face court next week.

Natural disaster organization under fire

a man looking and standing outdoors
The future is unclear for Shane Fitzsimmons, who leads Resilience NSW.(AAP: Mick Tsikas)

New South Wales cabinet is expected to approve a recommendation to dismantle the organization created to lead the response to natural disasters.

A report into this year’s floods has recommended dismantling Resilience New South Wales.

Flood victims have criticized the organisation’s performance.

It’s thought the agency’s responsibilities will be reallocated to existing government departments.

Varroa mites spread

Varroa mite infestations have been identified at nine more properties in the Newscastle region.

The nine new detections bring the total number of infested premises to 73.

All of the new detections have been linked to other cases or to the movement of other hives and equipment, and were found within existing emergency zones.

Varroa mites spread viruses that cripple bees’ ability to fly, gather food and pollinate crops, leading hives to collapse and die off.

Australia was the last continent to be free of the parasite, with previous detections in Queensland and Victoria eradicated.

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