West is the second witness to give evidence to the upper house inquiry examining Barilaro’s controversialappointment to the job,which he created when he was trade minister.
Commencing her evidence with a candid and emotional statement,West described her excitement and subsequent distress over the handling of the recruitment process.
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“I was so excited about the appointment. I shared the news with my family and friends. They were so happy for me,” she said. “I began taking steps to relocate.”
Perrottet told parliament in June that Barilaro was appointed because “the first recruitment process did not identify a suitable candidate”.
“I looked at rental accommodation in New York,and researched colleges for my family. I thought I would be starting the new role in a matter of weeks,” she said.
“I was told that the contract would be ready in four weeks and I was chasing that contract,so I thought that was a formal offer.”
West categorically disputed evidence given by Brown to the committee last week about discrepancies in her resume and unapproved personal travel,describing it as false.
She added that she was surprised to hear claims made about her performance and that she had believed she and Brown had a “very,very good professional relationship”.
“When I read Miss Brown’s evidence I was very disappointed ... I was very shocked and upset. I’ve worked exceptionally hard for my career ... so I was quite horrified by what she had said because it is so different from who I am.”
West said she requested a 15-minute meeting with the state’s most senior public servant Michael Coutts-Trotter on October 11 about the failed appointment,but never received a response.
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“The next I heard from him was by way of a formal letter,terminating my employment,” she said. “This was clearly not how I’d expected my public sector career to end.”
West told the inquiry she immediately engaged lawyers because she was concerned about the process and that she may be made redundant “without anything”. She received a statutory 38-weeks redundancy but no further compensation.
The former public servant said she had attended the inquiry at the request of the public accountability committee’s request.
“I have never spoken publicly about this matter,” she said. “For the sake of my family and their privacy,I have been trying to move on from what has been a very disappointing episode in my life.”
Barilaro withdrew from role following almost two weeks of intense scrutiny of the NSW government’s handling of his appointment. He has insisted he followed proper process.
The inquiry continues.
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