John Barilaro’s bite of the Big Apple: the plum New York posting that set off a firestorm

The New York job looked like a done deal.

By last August, plans for a trade commissioner to represent New South Wales were advanced enough that briefs had been prepared for senior state government ministers.

Interviews had been conducted, a preferred candidate had been found, and the head of Investment NSW, Amy Brown, was preparing to send a brief to the then deputy premier, John Barilaro, on the recruitment effort.

On 2 August, Brown's executive assistant sent an email to senior staff at a recruitment agency asking them to "prioritise" a report on the New York job.

"Amy has advised she would like to send the Americas report to the DPO [deputy premier's office] today," she wrote.

Less than two hours later, the report had been sent back. Internal emails seen by the Guardian suggest the briefing may not have occurred that day, but it was certainly a priority.

"We are hoping to get this up to the DPO as soon as possible," Brown's assistant wrote two days later.