State deputy leader questioned in estimates hearing over her role in grant to the Country Universities Centres

This article is more than 6 months old

This article is more than 6 months old

The deputy leader of the New South Wales Nationals was notified within minutes of an $8m grant being approved to an organisation run by her husband – and well before it was made public – despite telling parliament she had no involvement in the grant process.

Bronwyn Taylor, who maintains she had no influence over the process, was asked a number of questions in an estimates committee on Thursday about the Country Universities Centres program, which received $16m funding from the state government.

The program also received further funding from the federal government.

Bronwyn Taylor’s husband, Duncan Taylor, was chairperson when the organisation applied for the grant and later became the CEO.

NSW funded $16m project run by MP Bronwyn Taylor's husband Read more

Duncan Taylor is the brother of the federal energy minister, Angus Taylor. Louise Clegg, Angus Taylor’s wife, is on the board of the centre in Goulburn.

The Country Universities Centres now run several centres in regional areas, which provide a study hub for students in regional areas. Bronwyn Taylor told estimates they had been very successful in encouraging regional students to remain in country areas while studying and after graduating.

The centre in Angus Taylor’s electorate was funded by the state grant.

Bronwyn Taylor has told parliament that she played no part in the grant process.

But emails obtained by Labor through a call for papers reveal that she was notified by the Nationals leader John Barilaro’s office within minutes of the grant being approved in March 2017.

“Finally,” wrote the staff member, who then sent her Barilaro’s talking points about the CUCs.

Bronwyn Taylor wrote back: “JB can have fun with this at the dinner. It allows Dunc to be positive about the possibilities and not break his contact of no talkies.…..Thanks again and all very exciting, B.”

Barilaro did not announce the grants until the Young Nationals conference a month later.

The state funding, which totalled $16m, came from Barilaro’s Department of Industry and was diverted from unspent funds. It was not part of a formal grant program. At the time, Bronwyn Taylor was his parliamentary secretary.

Labor’s Walt Secord said the emails raised issues of probity.

“You said you had no involvement but you were informed three weeks before the grant is announced. If you weren’t lobbying and engaging behind the scenes why were you told about it?” Secord asked.

Bronwyn Taylor replied that as then parliamentary secretary, she cared about southern NSW and regional students.

“I have never had any influence of decision making in the grant process,” she said.

The documents also reveal that Duncan Taylor was originally intended to be paid as chief executive of the CUCs, but decided to forego his salary soon after the grant was made.

“I understand the department of industry has potential concerns about the appointment of this above position [the CEO job]. It is very important to me that any public perceptions of the appointment no not have any potential to damage the reputations of the CUC, the deputy premier, and my wife as parliamentary secretary to the premier,” Duncan Taylor wrote to his chair.