NSW trade rep had US office shuttered after announcement of New York role later given to John Barilaro

A New South Wales trade commissioner based in San Francisco was forced to work out of the front room of his home after the government closed its office on the west coast of the US in favour of a new base in New York.

Guardian Australia can reveal that until September 2019 the NSW government was paying about $584,000-a-year for its San Fransisco trade operations, before shifting its focus to New York as part of the Global NSW strategy announced while John Barilaro was the minister for trade.

The conversation allegedly occurred after a meeting with Barilaro, then-treasurer Dominic Perrottet and the trade minister Stuart Ayres.

The office did move, however. In September 2019, while Barilaro was still the minister responsible for trade, Investment NSW told budget estimates it was paying $584,800-a-year for its operations in San Francisco.

In December of that year, the government announced it was establishing the senior trade commissioner role in New York City, one of six in cities around the world.

In her appearance before the upper house inquiry, Investment NSW CEO Amy Brown said the department had spent $905,000 on fit-out costs for the new New York office.

Last week Perrottet told reporters the decision to establish a New York trade office was made following advice from the department.