An email has come to light suggesting New South Wales Trade Minister Stuart Ayres reviewed and added a name to the shortlist for the New York-based trade job eventually given to John Barilaro.
The email — released on Thursday afternoon — raises further questions about Mr Ayres's involvement in the recruitment process.
In February this year, the chief executive of Investment NSW, Amy Brown, sent an email to her colleague.
"Min Ayres and I have run through the 'long' shortlist and our recommended 'short' shortlist for NYC," the email said.
"He'd like to add [redacted name] to the short shortlist please."
Ms Brown oversaw the recruitment process for the trade commissioner role, which eventually appointed Mr Barilaro.
Mr Ayres, as the minister responsible, has always maintained the process was done at "arms length" to the government.
The opposition claims that this email reveals that wasn't the case.
"This is Stuart Ayres and John Barilaro, arm-in-arm, walking John Barilaro into a high-paid public sector job," Labor MLC John Graham said.
This email was released as part of hundreds of documents handed over by the state government.
Many were deemed secret, but the opposition forced the government into an agreement to make them public.
Mr Ayres is currently in India with Premier Dominic Perrottet. They are on the last leg of a trade mission.
On Thursday, Mr Ayres was forced to bat away questions about his involvement in the selection process, denying he had any influence over former deputy premier Mr Barilaro's appointment.
The decision to offer Mr Barilaro the job is the focus of an ongoing parliamentary inquiry.
Mr Ayres said on Thursday that Ms Brown had total power over the recruitment process and it was at her discretion that she reneged on bureaucrat Jenny West's apparent selection in the role.
The Trade Minister acknowledged he had earlier signed a note sent by Ms Brown which stated Ms West was the "successful candidate" for the role.
However, he said that he was simply "noting" the document, and his signature did not constitute an endorsement or decision on the newly created New York position.
"Amy Brown, as the employer, as the CEO of Investment NSW, is the only person who can determine when that recruitment process is ended," Mr Ayres said.
"She made this very clear in her evidence to the Legislative Council committee."
Mr Ayres has maintained he believed it was a shame Mr Barilaro would not serve as the trade commissioner.
He says the former deputy premier won the position on merit and went through the same selection process as the other candidates.
Mr Barilaro has since withdrawn from the job, slated to pay $500,000 per year, after intense scrutiny over his appointment.
He has been invited to front the parliamentary inquiry on Monday, August 8.
