Attorney Chris Carr claims Jenny West was never offered a commercial postal job in New York during John Barilaro’s investigation

A senior government lawyer who responded to an investigation into how former deputy prime minister John Barilaro scored a New York sales job has closed claims that the role has been taken away. top civil servant Jenny West.

The NSW parliamentary inquiry returned on Tuesday, hearing from the Department of Business, Trade and Investment’s general counsel Chris Carr, who held a similar role with Investment NSW from last June to April last year. 2022.

Former public servant Jenny West previously told the inquest that she was offered the job of senior trade and investment commissioner in the Americas for $500,000 a year.

Ms West said she lost her senior job at Investment NSW and was admitted after her New York post was withdrawn. The overseas role ultimately went to Mr. Barilaro, who withdrew after public outcry in June.

General counsel for the Department of Business, Trade and Investment Chris Carr (above) claims Jenny West was never offered a $500,000 New York transactional postal job during her interrogation hearing. parliament on Tuesday.

Appearing at the inquest last week, Ms West said Investment NSW chief executive Amy Brown told her she was out of work a month after being offered the role because it was ‘a gift’ for someone’.

Before the job was cancelled, Ms West told the inquest she was sent a text message by Ms Brown on 12 August 2021, with a signed letter from then-prime minister Gladys Berejiklian confirming accept her for this role.

‘Congratulations. This is one of the frames,’ Ms Brown wrote, adding emojis of the Statue of Liberty and a bottle of sparkling champagne.

On Tuesday, Mr Carr said he was ‘limited’ to his involvement in the appointment of Mr Barilaro to the plum job and disputed evidence presented by other witnesses.

He said Ms West’s testimony that she was ‘offered to full employment’ was ‘not true’.

Ms West (above) claims she was verbally offered her dream job last year before Investment NSW CEO Amy Brown told her a month after she was handed the role that the word Her offer was withdrawn, saying it ‘would be a gift to someone’

He added that Ms West said she was having tax troubles in the US, which could keep her from accepting postings in New York for a while.

‘Ms West said: “I needed to find a US tax expert who could advise me because you’re going to see impacts in many areas, and importantly, I can’t move forward until when this is resolved,” Mr. Carr said.

‘I feel there are important contract terms (yet) finalized, especially on tax.

‘I understand that Miss West has made great progress in this process, but not at the end of it.’

John Barilaro (above), who created the New York position in 2020, was offered the job after Ms West was fired

Mr Carr was asked in September to prepare advice on why the appointment of senior trade and investment commissioners is a public service appointment and whether it could be a minister. .

He told the hearing that the request came from Ms. Brown or her chief of staff and not from Mr. Barilaro, with whom he had very little interaction.

‘I received several questions afterwards from a junior officer in Mr Barilaro’s office. They relate to the constitution and they relate to the Commonwealth’s foreign relations act,’ Mr Carr said.

Ms Brown had previously told the inquest that the request came from the former deputy prime minister’s office.

Mr Carr (above) denied he commented on the job as he allegedly told Ms West he was ‘appalled’ by her treatment during the hiring process, saying he was only comforting a colleague

Ms. West said during the hearing that she spoke with Mr. Carr after learning she would not be sent to New York for work and recorded their conversation at the time.

In a phone call last September, she said Mr Carr had told her he was ‘appalled’ by her situation.

‘That’s her interpretation. That’s not a word I would use,’ he told the inquest.

‘I felt the need to comfort her… I felt I was open to as a colleague, on a human level, to give her a certain amount of comfort.

‘I don’t give advice. Any of my answers will be considered salt because that is the environment (where she is frustrated).

‘I don’t think I have commented on the job descriptions for these roles.’

Ms West sent a note she made during their September 17 phone call, after hearing the verbal offer had been withdrawn.

‘His opinion was: you got offered the job, signed the contract and just waited on the contract and then this happened… if it were me, I would be bitterly disappointed. ,” she wrote.

Ms West submitted a note (above) which she took during her phone conversation with Mr Carr as evidence for the inquest, in which she wrote that he said he was ‘appalled’ by how her treatment

The documents show that another highly qualified woman, Hong Kong-based chief executive Kimberley Cole, was shortlisted for the position after it was re-advertised.

Other documents were kept for public viewing after government lawyers claimed they were privileged.

Last month Mr Barilaro announced he would be stepping down from the role, saying it ‘cannot afford the media attention this appointment has achieved’.

He has maintained he follows the proper procedures.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet (above) has launched an internal inquiry into Mr Barilaro’s appointment to be completed in the coming weeks

Mr Barilaro said in a statement on June 30: “It is clear that I cannot take on this role now unshakable given the media attention this appointment has won.”

‘I believe my appointment will continue to be a distraction and not allow this important role to achieve what it was designed to do, and is therefore my decision.

‘I emphasize, that I always affirm that I have followed the process and look forward to the outcome of the review.’

Premier Dominic Perrottet has launched an internal investigation into the appointment, led by former public service commissioner Graeme Head, which he expects to be completed in the coming weeks.