An internal review into John Barilaro’s controversial appointment to a lucrative trade role in New York has cost taxpayers $73,000 and is overdue.
Key points:
- An internal review into Mr Barilaro’s appointment has cost taxpayers $73,500
- The Premier has received part of a draft section of the report
- Mr Barilaro will reappear before a parliamentary inquiry on Friday
The former NSW Public Service Commissioner Graeme Head was asked to conduct the review after it was ordered by Premier Dominic Perrottet last month.
New documents have been released publicly through a parliamentary order revealing that the fee set for the review was $73,500.
The documents suggest that when Mr Head was first engaged in late June the completion date was set at July 15, which gave the former Commissioner three weeks to undertake it.
But another document reveals it was extended to August 5.
The review is understood to be funded by the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
In the new tranche of documents, there is also the official letter from the Secretary of the Department Michael Coutts-Trotter to Mr Head which sets out the terms of reference.
It includes inquiring into “details and outcomes of all recruitment and selection processes that were commenced in relation to the role of Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas”.
Mr Coutts-Trotter added “including arrangements for managing actual and perceived conflicts of interest” in the letter.
The Premier has received part of a draft section of the report which prompted him to force trade minister Stuart Ayres to resign last week.
At the time, Mr Perrottet said the draft section raised concerns that Mr Ayres had breached the Ministerial Code of Conduct but it wasn’t in the remit of Mr Head’s review to investigate if such a breach had occurred.
Yesterday the Premier asked for Bruce McClintock, SC, to conduct a legal review into whether there was a breach of the code.
Mr Perrottet has promised to make both the reviews public once he receives them.
Mr Barilaro has withdrawn from taking the New York job.
The former deputy premier told a parliamentary inquiry on Monday that he had been interviewed as part of the Head review.
Mr Barilaro will reappear before the parliamentary inquiry investigating his appointment on Friday.
.