NSW’s trade office in New York has spent more than $105,000 in taxpayer funds on events thrown by a Murdoch-linked non-profit in the past six months, Crikey can reveal.
Documents obtained from the US Justice Department show the trade office — where John Barilaro was once hired to be boss — spent the money on tickets for various events thrown by the American Australian Association.
The office also paid $14,000 for a “platinum” corporate membership with the organisation, which was founded by the late media mogul Keith Murdoch, father of News Corp executive chairman Rupert Murdoch, who is listed on the non-profit’s website as a patron.
Australian government agencies are notoriously secretive and difficult to get information out of.
But with the NSW government’s decision to launch a “global” strategy in 2019, including opening the trade office in New York, the responsible agency Investment NSW opened some of its books up for scrutiny.
In a form lodged with the US Justice Department late last month, the trade office listed detailed expenses worth a total of $1.2 million since July 2022.
The document shows the office paid the American Australian Association for “event tickets” on four separate occasions, and the largest single transaction was worth $74,000.
With its platinum membership, Investment NSW joined the likes of Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, NAB, and News Corp.
The only other government entities listed as corporate members of the American Australian Association are Austrade and the Queensland government, which both opted for the more humble bronze membership.
NSW’s New York office also paid $37,000 for tickets to a South by Southwest festival event, and nearly $26,000 for tickets to a fintech event in Las Vegas called Money 20/20.
“The NSW Government US Office regularly sponsors key business events, hosts and attends trade shows to promote the state as a destination of choice for US businesses, to drive investment opportunities and to support NSW business with entering and growing their export opportunities in the US,” a Department of Enterprise, Investment and Trade spokesperson told Crikey.
“Our team in the US has delivered key outcomes for NSW, including helping to attract major music, screen, gaming and tech event South by Southwest to Sydney, which is set to inject millions of dollars into the NSW economy.
“It has also attracted global investment business Techstars to establish in Tech Central this year to accelerate NSW’s startup ecosystem, and supported more than 80 NSW businesses to grow into the US market through programs such as Going Global and participation in major trade events.”
Most items in the expense list were for things like wages and insurance. There were also three payments worth about $12,000 each for rent, paid to “DFAT Embassy of Australia”.
The documents show the New York office received $2.8 million in funding since July last year, including seven separate payments from the DEIT worth a total of $1 million, and a single $1.8 million “top up” from the NSW Treasury Corporation in October.
The documents were lodged under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act.
Crikey revealed on Wednesday the NSW government may have failed in its obligations under the act by failing to register an employee as a foreign agent.
Documents show the employee was registered about six months after they were hired, even though the act says the US government should have been notified within 10 days. It is not suggested the employee did anything wrong.
The new hire, who earns about $180,000 per year, joined an existing four-person team earning a combined $961,000.
The NSW government said in its 2022-23 half-yearly budget review it would fund the state’s global trade strategy to the tune of $179.8 million.
The strategy was devised under former premier Gladys Berejiklian and her then-trade minister, Barilaro, whose appointment to head the New York office last June caused outrage and prompted him to give up the $500,000-a-year job.
Is it any wonder we are struggling to fund, healthcare, aged care, education etc when our politicians, especially those in the Liberal and National party’s use tax payers money as a Liberal National party slush fund.
If I spent someone else’s money for my own benefit, I’d be locked up. So tell me, why aren’t these people being locked up?
Absolutely. I agree with you.
As has been previously commented, why are the States competing for overseas business? Aren’t we a country? Surely it’s counterproductive.
…. In return for all that ‘free’ Limited News +ve PR?
… “Tickets to Rupert’s Ball”?
To which “Australian authority/agency/entity” did the NSW government ‘choose’ to open these books?
Or was this just a ‘US requirement’?
The latter, I’d say. NSW can’t even find the witnesses required for a corruption hearing (hiding in a forest apparently), let alone find the wherewithal for transparency.
My thought too.
Submitting to a US requirement.
Rather than some move to a magnanimous open and transparent course of business; coupled to that ‘non-disclosure’ of that agent, their heart is still where it’s always been, in some dismal and murky backroom, hidden away from prying eyes … not unlike ‘The Brothers Perro’?
‘Funny business as usual’.
Or the other ball Jerry has.
Maybe they might organise the functions at Wendy’s!
…. Wendi Murdoch’s? With music Blairing?
…. Wendi M-u-r-d-o-c-h’s? With music Blairing?
Hey there Klewso, I’ll do the jokes!
I will bet my house that had Barilaro got that New York job the amount handed over to this type of wanker organisation would have multiplied. I can’t remember as a taxpayer being asked about handing these funds to a wanker organisation. This govt has to go.