‘Jobs for the Boys’: Inquiry To Be Launched Into John Barilaro’s New $500,000 Gig

“Jobs for the boys - that’s all this is.”

Those were the words NSW Labor leader Chris Minns used last Friday to describe a new, tax-payer funded, $500,000-a-year commissioner role appointed to former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro.

Now, the NSW Upper House will launch an inquiry into the appointment. The major concern? The position - one that Barilaro created himself while serving as trades minister - wasn’t considered by the cabinet. 

Penny Sharpe, leader of the Upper House, said on Monday that the dual inquiry will look into the circumstances and process of Barilaro’s appointment, echoing Minns’ “jobs for mates” concerns.

“I don’t think any serious person in NSW…thinks it’s reasonable that the ex-deputy premier gets to resign and six months later is appointed to this position on a salary of $400,000 plus $100,000 of living expenses,” she said.

Barilaro has made headlines multiple times in the last 12 months, mostly for ongoing and developing legal cases surrounding the YouTuber Jordan Shanks (otherwise known as Friendlyjordies). In November last year, Barilaro settled a defamation case against Shanks, with the YouTuber offering an apology but not paying damages. 

Earlier this month, an Australian judge ordered tech giant, Google, to pay $715,000 in damages to Barilaro for failing to take down “racist” and “abusive” videos posted by Shanks.

The legal stoush surrounding Barilaro and Shanks has been of particular interest to digital rights and free speech advocates, as the former politician’s dispute with the YouTuber is one of several cases in Australia surrounding what people can and cannot do online. In May, refugee advocate Shane Bazzi successfully appealed a ruling that found he had defamed now-Liberal leader Peter Dutton on Twitter, and earlier this month Twitter was ordered to reveal the identity of a prominent anonymous Twitter account, @PRGuy17. 

Now, Barilaro looks set to return to public service. His new role, announced on Friday, was appointed after a “competitive and rigorous global talent search” led by specialised recruitment firm NGS Global.

“He was by far the most outstanding candidate and recommended by that panel to the government, and I’m sure he will do a brilliant job,” said Premier Dominic Perrottet in defence of the appointment.

Barilaro resigned from parliament last October after telling journalists that the pressures of working in politics had “taken its toll.” 

The upper house inquiry will begin when parliament returns this week, and Barilaro will also be considered to give evidence.

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