Former NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro eventually lost his cool on Monday afternoon after taking repeated punches from Labor during the inquest investigating his appointment to a lucrative $500,000 New York position.
Mr Barilaro raged after hours of fielding questioning from Opposition MPs about why he was selected to an exclusive trade role in New York when it had been offered to someone else.
He called it ‘disgusting’ to say he tried to modify the procedure so he could apply for and receive the job, which prompted a’sh**show’ that caused him to leave before even starting.
Mr Barilaro slammed the questioners and referred to himself as a “victim.”
‘I will completely dispute that vile slander and charge (that he attempted to modify the process in his favor),’ he stated.
Labor then questioned him, ‘Which part of it is disgusting?’
‘You’re making me out to be crooked,’ he answered, later adding that he was ‘the victim… not the offender.’
Mr. Barilaro was also shaken by concerns regarding his connection with Jennifer Lugsdin, for whom he inquired about a position she was interested in and later secured.
Ms Lugsdin was his media adviser at the time he called Investment NSW chief Amy Brown on her behalf.
Mr Barilaro said he couldn’t recall when he had the chat with Ms Brown, but he wasn’t in a relationship with Ms Lugsdin at the time.
‘I was not in a relationship with her when I was deputy prime minister or trade minister,’ he said.
Ms Brown subsequently testified that Investment NSW requested a conflict of interest disclosure from Ms Lugsdin in December 2021, after media stories about her connection with Mr Barilaro.
‘But we don’t have any records of it occurring.’ Most likely because we ended her work with us on December 22nd, which was just a few days later,’ she said.
Labor MP Penny Sharpe said the opposition will provide evidence that Ms Lugsdin was engaged in media releases promoting the New York trade post when Mr Barilaro arrives on Friday.
‘We’re indicating that we’ll be spending more time on this… which is how (Mr Barilaro) learned about the position,’ she said.
‘Someone with whom you are in a relationship… was plainly aware of the different procedures linked with the advertisement and the nature of this post.’
Greens MP Cate Faehrmann, who chairs the probe, asked Mr Barilaro whether he could “understand why the public is dubious about this entire process?”
‘I completely understand. That’s why I’m here today, willingly, to explain the process,’ he said as he sat in front of a placard that read, ‘Engage, examine, inform.’
‘It was an impartial, public service procedure.’ You are not disqualified because you were once a member of parliament.’
‘I’m the victim, not the perpetrator,’ Mr Barilaro remarked.
‘What went wrong?’ I was given a position, and I accepted it… I can’t tell you what happened behind closed doors since I wasn’t there.’ Mr Barilaro was adamant that he would not reveal the third referee on his application for the New York position before the committee stopped for lunch, despite the fact that his other two referees were senior public servant Gary Barnes and Australia’s US Ambassador Arthur Sinodinos.
However, after calling the referee, former NSW premier Mr. O’Farrell, during the break, he was able to expose his identity when the investigation reopened.
Mr. O’Farrell, according to Mr. Barilaro, was “one of the reasons I went into politics.” He was an inspiration and a close friend,’ he added.
‘I’ve been fortunate enough in my life to have met some fantastic folks.
‘Mr O’Farrell was aware of, and is aware of, my competence and talents.’ I asked him since he’s been a supporter and a friend.’
With the strain mounting, Mr Barilaro said, ‘If I knew what I know now, I would never have applied (for the New York post).’
I wouldn’t have gone to that s**t show if I had known what I know now.’
He said that this was due to “severe trauma I have undergone in the last six to seven weeks.”
While it is reasonable that Mr. Barilaro considers recent events to be “traumatic,” it was less so when he said that while applying for the position, he “had no extra knowledge that any other applicant wouldn’t have had.”
‘I disagree that I utilized knowledge that no one else had,’ he added.
Sparks will undoubtedly fly when Mr Barilaro returns to the hearing on Friday, with Labor signalling that they have a lot more difficult questions to ask.
Monday’s events may have just been the lull before the storm.