John Barilaro has complained he's a sufferer of sustained and unjustified media harassment, after the previous New South Wales deputy premier was filmed in a tussle with a information cameraman whereas out with pals in Sydney.
For weeks, the character of Barilaro's appointment right into a plum state authorities commerce function in New York Metropolis, which got here with a $500,000 wage, has come below intense scrutiny.
Barilaro has since withdrawn from the glamour posting, however a parliamentary inquiry now underway is making an attempt to eke out extra element into what was spiralling into a harmful scandal for Premier Dominic Perrottet.
"I am being completely intruded on and harassed and ... the media are on the forefront," Barilaro advised 2GB this morning, breaking weeks of silence with an surprising name to host Ben Fordham after the video of the Manly fracas emerged.
Barilaro mentioned he was out on Saturday night time for pizza and beers with pals when he was ambushed.
"To return out in the dead of night and to have a digital camera shoved in your face, a microphone in your face," he mentioned.
"At that time, you realize, I requested him to 'simply to stroll away, I've bought nothing to say.'"
Footage of the incident confirmed Barilaro, lit up with a shiny highlight, making an attempt to seize the digital camera whereas members of the general public circled the pair and watched on.
"All I did was push a digital camera out of my means, I didn't manhandle a person," Barilaro mentioned.
"However I am going to inform you what, a few of these in my celebration, as in people who have been at dinner with me, they have been pushed and barged out of the way in which."
He claimed one of many pals had lodged a criticism with police.
Barilaro, who stop state politics in October, protested he must be left alone now that he's a public citizen.
He additionally vented frustration over not being invited to given proof on the inquiry.
"I am accessible to show as much as an inquiry listening to this week to inform my facet of the story, and let's try this earlier than this will get even uglier," he mentioned.
"What occurred on Saturday night time is not nice for me, nor the cameraman, I'll say that, however on the identical time I've each proper to defend myself and defend myself and my pals."
Police have confirmed they're investigating the fracas.
"Officers connected to Northern Seashores Police Space Command are investigating an incident that occurred about 7.30pm on Saturday 23 July 2022, exterior a bar in Manly," NSW Police mentioned in an announcement.
"Inquiries into the incident are ongoing and there's no additional data at this stage."
Since reporters started to look into his commerce fee appointment, Barilaro mentioned he had been hounded for weeks.
"I've saved my silence as a result of I do not need to prosecute this case within the public realm," he mentioned.
"It must be achieved on the inquiry, it is what the inquiry was all about.
"However I've to be given that chance."
Barilaro claimed, given the possibility, he may "really make clear a variety of the mysteries" which have been swirling in media for the reason that story broke.
The inquiry is inspecting how Barilaro landed the New York job, one in all a number of worldwide postings he introduced when he was commerce minister, so quickly after quitting politics.