Australian website news.com.au has reported that the claims made by New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet about offering a lucrative overseas job to Transport Minister David Elliott have been denied by the latter.
Conceding that they discussed options for a parliamentary secretary trade role in “private discussions”, Elliott told the website that the remaining allegations are “untrue and offensive”.
Citing government sources, the website had previously reported that Perrottet discussed the option of a parliamentary secretary role for Elliott if he left politics.
Labor has seized on the fresh allegations of jobs for mates as the NSW Government braces for the evidence of former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro over his appointment to a $500,000 New York trade role.
Prompting a race between Transport Minister David Elliott and Treasurer Matt Kean for the deputy’s job, the Barilaro saga has triggered the resignation of deputy Liberal leader Stuart Ayres.
According to Perrottet, ”A number of those jobs did not exist because I create parliamentary secretary roles every reshuffle we have. They are private conversations and very normal conversations for a premier to have.”
Announcing that he will scrap the Trade Commissioner roles if he wins the next state election, NSW Opposition Leader Chris Minns said they were created two years ago and the salary paid is over $400,000 a year.
(With inputs from agencies)
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