Former Liberal staffer on appeals tribunal quits consultancy role after potential conflict of interest

Tony Barry resigned his second job after tribunal president said it was not appropriate' for him to also work as a lobbyist, robodebt hearing told

A longtime former Liberal staffer on the administrative appeals tribunal (AAT) has quit his role as a consultant to a lobbying firm after Labor uncovered what it labelled a potential conflict of interest.

Officials from the tribunal told a Senate committee in Canberra inquiring into the robodebt scheme that Tony Barry resigned his second job as a consultant after the AAT president expressed a tentative view it was not appropriate" for him to also work as a lobbyist.