Former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro has been found to have interfered in an important recruitment process. 

According to a report released by the New South Wales upper house Public Accountability Committee, former deputy premier John Barilaro “inappropriately” interfered with the recruitment process for a highly paid trade commissioner job. 

The report investigated the appointment of Stephen Cartwright to the $600,000-a-year agent general UK role in 2021, after it was revealed he was not the first choice for the job. 

The inquiry heard from several witnesses, including Stephen Cartwright, who said he had not considered the lucrative trade role until Mr. Barilaro mentioned it over coffee.

The committee, headed by Greens MLC Cate Faehrmann, found that Mr Barilaro showed “poor judgement”, and the government “lacked integrity and transparency” in its recruitment processes. 

The report also found that Mr Cartwright repeatedly and inappropriately applied pressure to senior public servants to improve his personal remuneration.

“While the committee accepts the evidence that Mr Cartwright subsequently took part in a merit-based selection process, the timing and circumstances of his entry to the recruitment round was influenced by the deputy premier's introduction,” the report said.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has dismissed the report as a “political game” from a Greens- and Labor-stacked committee. 

It is the second report released by the committee into trade role appointments by the NSW government. In its interim report, the committee found Mr Barilaro's appointment to the New York trade position was a “jobs for the boys” situation. 

An independent investigation into that appointment by former public servant Graeme Head found Mr Barilaro's appointment was “not at arm's length” from government but did not make any findings against the then-deputy premier.

The agent general UK role was created in 2019 by former premier Gladys Berejiklian to further NSW's business interests in the UK.