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2. The cabinet submission.

Barilaro started raising questions about the appointment processes for trade commissioners in June last year, according to his former chief of staff Siobhan Hamblin. This would give ministers the power to appoint the positions, instead of the public service.

Barilaro’s former adviser Joseph Brayford said Barilaro sent him a rare text message that asked for a cabinet minute on the policy to be prepared “ASAP” in September last year.

The proposal then was passed by cabinet within about 10 days – whereas it usually takes weeks – and arrived a week before his resignation from parliament. (However, it was never enacted).

Barilaro denied seeking to fast-track the submission when he gave evidence last week. “There wasn’t haste … I was pleasantly surprised that they turned around a [cabinet submission] so quickly,” he said. He insisted he had no idea Berejiklian was going to resign in October, despite giving a private interview to ICAC several weeks before.

3. The advertisement of the New York role.

Ayres texted Barilaro an ad for the second recruitment round for the New York role when it appeared in The Australian Financial Review on December 17. Barilaro’s girlfriend and former staffer, Jennifer Lugsdin, was working as a media adviser at Investment NSW during that time.

Email chains show that Lugsdin knew Ayres wanted to readvertise the New York role through correspondence dated December 10, a week before the role was advertised, which has led to questions about Barilaro’s knowledge of the process. Brown said there were no records of Lugsdin making a conflict of interest declaration about her relationship when she moved across to the agency on a short-term contract.

Barilaro said he raised his intention to apply for the job with Perrottet, Ayres and Treasurer Matt Kean. “At no point did anyone ever raise a concern about me applying for this role,” he said.

4. The second recruitment process.

Barilaro applied for the job on January 19. Days later, Brown says Ayres told her the former deputy premier would be a suitable candidate for the role. She confirmed a shortlist for interviews in February with Ayres’ input.

Two candidates emerged as frontrunners after a panel interview: Barilaro and global executive Kimberley Cole.

Brown said Ayres gave an informal reference for Barilaro. He also received references from Department of Regional NSW secretary Gary Barnes, former Liberal MP and ambassador to the United States Arthur Sinodinos, and former Liberal NSW premier Barry O’Farrell, now high commissioner to India.

Cole also received glowing references, but Investment NSW managing director Kylie Bell said she did not have enough experience in the US market or in NSW to be suited for the New York role. Brown said Cole failed to impress during a 12-minute Microsoft Teams meeting with Ayres.

Barilaro then emerged as the frontrunner. Brown told Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Michael Coutts-Trotter in April that she was nervous about the appointment. Ayres later told her it was no issue with his colleagues.

Investment NSW managing director Kylie Bell told Barilaro he got the job via text on May 23. Barilaro signed the contract on June 9. The other two members of the hiring panel – Public Service Commissioner Kathrina Lo and businessman Warwick Smith – were not asked to sign off on Barilaro being the preferred candidate until June 15.

Brown signed the contract on June 16 and the appointment was announced the next day.

Both Lo and Smith have since said they would not have endorsed the final panel selection report in hindsight.

Lo said she was concerned by “the degree of ministerial involvement, including input into shortlisting and provision of an informal reference”, as well as the treatment of the third-ranked candidate. She said she felt she may have been used as political cover by the hiring firm or Brown.