The revelation that global executive Kimberley Cole was one of the final candidates for the New York posting will heap more pressure on the NSW government ahead of a fresh round of hearings into the saga within days.
Former deputy premier John Barilaro and Kimberley Cole were both shortlisted candidates.Dominic Lorrimer/Supplied
Cole,a former Telstra Business Woman Award finalist,was one of three candidates shortlisted for the $500,000-a-year role earlier this year. In March,she was even described in an email as the “preferred” candidate,but this was later disputed.
It has already been revealed that former deputy secretary of Investment NSW Jenny West was offered the role last August and a second recruitment process launched.
The documents obtained under parliamentary order also highlight deputy Liberal Party leader Stuart Ayres’ role in vetting candidates despite the government’s insistence that appointments were conducted at arm’s length.
Other emails also show the government’s general counsel Kate Boyd first raised concerns last July about other trade commissioner roles being approved by cabinet because the involvement of ministers could raise risks “of actual or perceived non-compliance” with legislation.
Barilaro claimed the US job during the second recruitment process but,two inquiries and backlash from former colleagues.
The events behind Barilaro’s posting have been heavily scrutinised since it emerged that West was offered the job last year only for it to be rescinded
Premier Dominic Perrottet during the first recruitment search and that the government had nothing to do with the process.
However,the new documents reveal that Ayres,one of the state’s most senior cabinet ministers,personally signed off on West as the successful candidate in a briefing note on August 17.
Investment NSW boss Amy Brown gives evidence at the NSW parliamentary inquiry.Janie Barrett
“After a full recruitment process,the successful candidate is Ms Jenny West,” read the note,on which Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown is listed as the final approver. Ayres’ signature is included on the document.
However,Brown told a parliamentary inquiry last week that a second round was launched because she determined there was no suitable candidate.
A spokeswoman for Minister Ayres said the report he signed was a standard noting brief to update him on the panel report and that it did not reflect the final outcome of the first recruitment round.
Barilaro,who resigned from parliament in December,contacted Ayres via text message that same month indicating his interest in the US role. Ayres told him he could enter an application like any private citizen.
The Herald recently revealed Barilaro told colleagues he used top public servant Gary Barnes as a reference in his application. Documents released on Thursday confirm Barnes was a nominated referee and agreed to a “referee check” with a recruiter on March 17.
Before Barilaro was declared the successful candidate in April,he was one of three shortlisted.
Brown planned to share the shortlist with Ayres while they were travelling together in London,according to an email sent to his office in February. The list included Cole,a global executive with more than 25 years of sales and marketing experience.
A LinkedIn profile for Cole matches a redacted resume included in the cache of documents. Both describe Cole as global chief commercial officer at Lynk Global,an IT consulting firm.
Cole had a preliminary “meet and greet” with Ayres in March and was even described as a “preferred ... US candidate” in one email sent from the minister’s office to Brown. However,Brown later responded:“We don’t currently have a preferred candidate for the[US] role. And the minister is meeting Kimberley in her capacity as shortlisted candidate only.”
Brown was the first witness to front the parliamentary inquiry into Barilaro’s now-defunct appointment last week. She did not give evidence about Cole being shortlisted.
A briefing note about Barilaro prepared by Investment NSW describes his US credentials as having “proven his ability to build networks,negotiate and win deals”.
“No one knows NSW like Mr Barilaro and his knowledge of our state will be critical in encouraging businesses from across the Americas region to set up shop in NSW,” it states.
An Investment NSW spokesman said Barilaro was endorsed by the interview panel after interviews,due diligence,reference and background checks.
Leader of the Opposition in the upper house Penny Sharpe expressed concern another woman had lost out in the second recruitment process.
“It’s clear there was another well-qualified woman suitable for the New York role,yet she was overlooked for John Barilaro. Questions remain about how this was able to occur,” she said.
Sharpe said an investigation would also be held into the “egregious” leak of a transcript from a private session of the inquiry in which Brown made claims about West which was published by News Corp on Thursday.
“It is one of the most serious breaches of parliamentary process that I have ever witnessed. It serves no other purpose than to attack a witness[West] and perhaps try to intimidate them before appearing in front of the committee.”
to the inquiry on Monday despite requesting a private hearing,citing her distress amid the resulting media storm.
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