NSW says no suitable candidates found for Barilaro’s new trade job

The NSW Premier said no suitable candidates were found in an initial recruitment push for John Barilaro'sBarilaro's new US trade job.

Labor documents show that two of four candidates were ranked highly on three out of four criteria.

The former deputy prime minister has been appointed as the state's trade commissioner to the Americas, based in New York, with a salary package expected to top $500,000.

Documents obtained by Labor through the parliament show that there had been a previous round of recruitment with a shortlist and interviews conducted in mid- 2021.

Four people were interviewed, and two — Jenny West and Rob Fitzpatrick — exceeded three criteria and met the fourth, according to a spreadsheet.

But the job was readvertised in December, and Mr Barilaro was announced as the successful candidate last week.

The secretary of the department formed the view that the process had not found an appropriate candidate for the appointment, and a second process was started, Premier Dominic Perrottet said.

Jenny West isn't offered the job, but I'll get further advice in relation to that. Perrottet said recruitment was conducted independently by the public service and did not need to be approved by the cabinet.

Labor said the appointments were supposed to be put to cabinet.

I've spoken to the Minister for Investment about getting some information in relation to the process and details in relation to that, and once I've received those details, I'm more than happy to make them public, Perrottet said.

I'm not sure the exact details as to how that process was completed, but I'll make sure everything is in place.

I'll be satisfied as long as the process is followed and there are good reasons behind the decisions. Labor is calling for Barilaro's appointment to be postponed until a parliamentary inquiry into the decision is done.

The upper house is debating that motion today.

In November 2020, Barilaro announced the creation of five senior trade and investment commissioners STIC and an agent general in NSW, when he was deputy premier and trade minister.