One Nation could revive NSW trade posts scrapped in 'jobs for the boys' saga

One Nation party leader in New South Wales (NSW), Mike Newman, has expressed his willingness to consider reinstating overseas trade commissioner positions if his party wins the upcoming state election. The roles were abolished by the current government, led by Premier Chris Minns, following a "jobs for the boys" corruption scandal involving the appointment of former Deputy Premier John Barilaro to a position in New York.

Newman, who served as the state's senior trade and investment commissioner in Tokyo from 2022 to 2024, argues that the decision to eliminate the positions was a mistake and that NSW cannot afford to be a "hermit kingdom." During his upcoming four-day visit to India, Minns aims to attract investment. Newman sees the potential in hiring experienced professionals from the private sector to fill the roles, stating that he could have accomplished more business with a smaller team.

While Newman acknowledges the need for public service cuts, he maintains that the public sector is the largest in the southern hemisphere and rife with waste. Premier Minns praised Newman's candidness, noting that it may be challenging for other politicians, particularly Pauline Hanson, to silence him during the political debate.