The senior New South Wales public servant whose selection for a prime overseas posting was overturned following a rushed cabinet submission from then deputy premier John Barilaro was also made redundant in a move that circumvented a law carrying jail time for “reprisals” against whistleblowers.
In evidence during a subsequent inquiry, Jenny West, who at the time was a deputy secretary vying for a senior trade position in New York, has wondered why it was that her job had to be “deleted” at the same time she was given the news that she would never see a contract for the $500,000 foreign gig.
On September 17 last year, West was told by her manager, Amy Brown, the chief executive of Investment NSW, that this was because the money used to pay her salary had already been diverted after she was “given” the overseas job. According to her own evidence from a leaked closed-session parliamentary inquiry hearing, Brown then set about investigating her colleague over newly arisen performance and management issues.
Just a few months after West’s position was officially jettisoned, a new job with almost the same pay and similar responsibilities became available. It was filled by long-serving public servant Kylie Bell while West was still serving her 38-week payout period.
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