More documents will be made public into how former NSW deputy premier John Barilaro got a US trade job as embattled deputy Liberal leader Stuart Ayres defends his role in the appointment.

The NSW Trade Minister posted on Facebook ahead of the release of the documents related to the appointment process on Monday by a parliamentary committee investigating how Mr Barilaro got the plum job.

More emails, reports and Mr Barilaro’s CV will be among the documents to be released before the upper house inquiry resumes on Wednesday.

The weeks-long saga continues to dog Premier Dominic Perrottet, who returned from a 10-day trade mission to Asia on the weekend.

Mr Perrottet was joined by Mr Ayres, who faces questions about his role in the appointment of his former Nationals colleague.

The scandal continues a day after Mr Perrottet sacked Fair Trading Minister Eleni Petinos, amid allegations of bullying in her office.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Mr Ayres said the only person who had the power to make the trade appointment was the chief executive of Investment NSW.

“Every action I have taken has been to remove politics from the recruitment of these roles and put the people of NSW first,” he wrote.

He insisted he was never personally close to Mr Barilaro.

“I don’t think we ever called each other close friends,” he said.

“In fact, I can’t think of one time in the 11 years we were both in parliament together that we shared a meal or a beer together outside of a work function.”

The Labor opposition said the government’s “fingerprints” were all over the controversial appointment.

An email released last week raised more questions about the role played by Mr Ayres.

Labor accused Mr Ayres of lying after he said he did not meet Mr Barilaro during the recruitment process and had maintained his distance.

Tabled documents included the email sent by Investment NSW CEO Amy Brown in February, in which she said she had discussed a shortlist of candidates with Mr Ayres.

She said Mr Ayres had requested adding a candidate to the selection process. The candidate’s name has not been made public.

Another Investment NSW document shows Mr Ayres and Mr Barilaro met on or before June 16 – the day before it was announced the former deputy premier had secured the role – and Mr Ayres had indicated he supported the appointment.

Senior public servant Jenny West has given evidence to the inquiry, saying she was told she had the job and that she subsequently lost her senior job at Investment NSW after the offer was withdrawn.

The $500,000 a year trade post based in New York was switched to a political appointment and went to Mr Barilaro, who last month relinquished it saying it had become untenable.

When the upper house inquiry hearing resumes on Wednesday, Ms Brown will be recalled.

Mr Barilaro will give his side of the story to the inquiry next Monday.

-AAP

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