Jenny West, the former deputy secretary of Investment NSW, has given evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into the process leading to former deputy premier John Barilaro being appointed as Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to the Americas.
Ms West said she felt "so confused" and "shocked" in October when the CEO of Investment NSW, Amy Brown, told her she no longer had the job, just a month after she had been offered the role.
"Ms Brown said that the position - and this is a quote - 'will be a present for someone'," she said on Monday.
The job was later given to Mr Barilaro in June.
Ms West said she was told she was no longer getting the trade commissioner job and - on top of that - her role with Investment NSW would also be terminated.
"(Ms Brown) added, and again I quote, 'You are an extraordinary performer and I am upset that this has happened'."
"I went in four weeks from getting ready with my family to go overseas for three years, to being told I wouldn't have a job."
She took notes during an October meeting, and emailed her lawyers, concerned she would be sacked without cause.
Ms West, who had worked at Investment NSW for 18 months, was officially terminated on November 30.
She worked closely with and reported directly to Ms Brown, who encouraged her to apply for the New York job and told her on August 12 she was the successful candidate.
"She sent me a text saying, 'congratulations, this is one to frame', and she had an emoji of the Statue of Liberty and a champagne bottle."
Attached to the text was a briefing acknowledging the appointment, signed by then premier Gladys Berejiklian.
Just over a month later, Ms Brown and Ms West met for a 20-minute walk at Balmoral in Sydney's north on September 17, after arranging to meet the night before.
Ms Brown said a submission had been made to convert the role from a public service appointment to a cabinet appointment, and the job was on hold.
Ms West asked: "How could he just change something like that to put his mates in the role to help with the election?"
She recalled the question via handwritten notes taken after the meeting, but did not remember who she was referring to at the time.
Ms West later reached out to her manager, Michael Coutts-Trotter, asking for a 15-minute meeting regarding the situation.
"I did not receive a response from him," she said.
"The next I heard from him was by way of a formal letter terminating my employment."
"I am trying to move on from what has been a very disappointing episode in my life," she said.
Documents made public last week show Ms West's appointment was signed off by Investment Minister Stuart Ayres in August.
Then deputy premier, Mr Barilaro requested to convert the trade commissioner roles to ministerial appointments later that month.
Mr Barilaro announced last month he would withdraw from the role saying it was "not tenable with the amount of media attention this appointment has gained".
"I stress, that I have always maintained that I followed the process and look forward to the results of the review."
Premier Dominic Perrottet has also launched an internal inquiry into the appointment, led by former public service commissioner Graeme Head.
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