NSW premier Dominic Perrottet dumps minister Eleni Petinos amid turbulent period for his government

New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet has dumped his small businesses and fair trading minister Eleni Petinos after allegations of bullying were levelled against her in the media last week.

Petinos has denied the allegations but said on Sunday she was sorry if she unintentionally offended anyone or made them uncomfortable.

The move was announced just an hour before trade minister Stuart Ayres, under increasing scrutiny over his role in recruitment for a plum New York trade gig which eventually went to his former colleague John Barilaro, released a lengthy statement on Facebook about the matter.

He said the first round of recruitment had not found a suitable candidate so a second round was started - a process he was informed of by the chief executive of Investment NSW - that he claimed was consistent with what he had told parliament.

In her own statement on Sunday night, Petinos apologised if she had offended anyone or made them feel uncomfortable, noting she was proud of the work she did while serving as a minister.

Petinos rejected the allegations.

While in India last week Perrottet said there was no place for bullying and harassment in the workplace.

He said he had raised the allegations with the minister who had denied the claims.

The premier said the complaint and the process that followed proved the system for workplace complaints worked.