The questions and controversy over John Barilaro’s appointment as the Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas, highlights a growing web of wheeling and dealing behind closed doors and today Greens MP and chair of the Public Accountability Committee, Cate Faehrmann, has written to the Clerk of the NSW Parliament supporting calls for the Upper House to sit this Friday, in order for the documents relating to the appointment be provided to the Parliament.
Ms Faehrmann said that if the Upper House has to sit to force the Government to provide these documents so be it.
‘It’s critical that the Inquiry can continue its work to determine exactly how John Barilaro ended up appointed to the Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas role after a successful candidate had already been identified and offered the job.
Highly suspicious
‘It’s highly suspicious that the Government has failed to release any documents related to Barilaro’s interview process, even though they are legally obliged to.
‘The Premier has said he wants all the documents released to the Upper House so why have they been delayed?’
In her letter the Clerk of the NSW Parliament, Ms Faehrmann said on behalf of the three Green members of the Legislative Council, she is asking that the House is recalled this Friday.
‘Using your power under standing order 36 to allow for the Council to consider the following business: The government’s failure to comply with an order of the House to produce certain documents regarding the appointment of Mr John Barilaro to the Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner position in New York; The government’s failure to produce certain documents following an order of the House made in October last year regarding senior trade and investment commissioner positions. A further call for papers regarding the appointment of Mr John Barilaro to the Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner position in New York; The report of an arbiter into a claim for privilege made by the government over certain documents regarding the appointment of Mr John Barilaro to the Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner position in New York; The government’s failure to comply with an order of the House to produce certain documents regarding the Dungowan Dam project. We reserve our right to withdraw this request if the government substantially complies with the orders of the House related to Mr Barilaro’s appointment prior to the proposed sitting day.
Shrouding the selection process
Ms Faehrmann said the unreleased documents are just another attempt to shroud the selection process for this role in secrecy. ‘The committee and the public expect the Government to come clean and be transparent about the processes that were followed.’
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