He will examine the recruitment process leading up to Barilaro’s appointment,any conflicts of interest that may have arisen in the selection process,and whether his recruitment complied with the government’s own rules for hiring public sector staff.
Head,now a partner at consulting giant EY,spent six years as the commissioner of the state’s public service commission and was the inaugural commissioner of the NDIS watchdog.
The announcement of Barilaro’s appointment late last Friday prompted outrage from state Liberal ministers and backbenchers and saw the NSW upper house promptly move to hold a separate inquiry into the processes behind the decision,which will start on Wednesday.
Barilaro has been blocked from starting the new role until the upper house inquiry is completed.
The role was created by Barilaro as one of five global trade commissioner roles he set up while he was trade minister. The roles attract an annual salary of $500,000 plus expenses,significantly more than the $343,360 a year he received as deputy premier.
At least two preferred candidates were shortlisted for the role last May,with one having “in depth New York and markets exposure”,before the position was ultimately readvertised and handed to Barilaro barely six months after his resignation from parliament on December 30.