John Barilaro says he became interested in the New York trade role in November last year, after he had resigned from parliament but before leaving the building.
He said he mentioned his interest in the position to Premier Dominic Perrottet in a “passing comment” in late November.
“He was checking in on me, and on one of those occasions I flagged [it] … I said that I’d be interested. He had nothing more to say than ‘go for it’.”
John Barilaro giving evidence today.Credit: Kate Geraghty
Barilaro said he did not realise the New York job was vacant at the time. “I just flagged the option, and the idea, of a trade role.”
He said he later asked former trade minister Stuart Ayres about the role in early December, which is why Ayres sent him the job advertisement in The Australian Financial Review about a week or two later.
“I also was looking at other options outside of politics at the time, I was looking at options for employment. It was a query in relation to that role. It was that simple,” he said.
“As I recall, I sought out what the process would be in relation to the [role].”
He said that was his only conversation with Ayres, but that he also discussed the matter with Treasurer Matt Kean via text just before Christmas last year because he respected Kean’s counsel.
“He was supportive. I can’t recall the exact word. [There was] no feedback in relation to political sensitivities,” Barilaro said.
“He would have told me bluntly if he thought it was going to be an issue, for sure.
“At no point did anyone ever raise a concern about me applying for this role.
“If someone had flagged that early on, and maybe I should have used my own political nous and my own gut feel – even when accepting the job, I even had hesitation, it took me a little while to make that decision – but at no point did anyone say that this could have been a problem.”
He said he did not consult any other former colleagues before his application.