‘Blame game’ over journalist Steve Jackson’s appointment as NSW Police media chief

Police, politicians and senior bureaucrats are at loggerheads over the apparent appointment of a former TV producer to the role of beleaguered NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s fourth spin doctor in two years.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has appointed a new spin doctor. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Police, politicians and senior bureaucrats are at loggerheads over the apparent appointment of a former TV producer to the role of beleaguered NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s fourth spin doctor in two years.

Former police officer and NSW MLC Rod Roberts told 2GB’s Ben Fordham on Tuesday his phone “lit up like a Christmas tree” after news broke of Steve Jackson’s appointment.

“I was getting phone calls from people I know in the media, senior police officers, all questioning this decision,” he said.

Fordham told listeners there was now a “blame-game going on about who appointed this man (Jackson) and whether he was actually appointed”.

“The bloke she has picked has raised a few eyebrows, people at NSW Police headquarters are wondering if he is even going to make it through the door on day one, I don’t think he is going to.

“I am hearing the commissioner is nervous, and it is my belief this morning that Karen Webb will change her mind… and be on the lookout for yet another spin doctor.”

Steve Jackson will start in the role before Easter.

He will replace Liz Deegan who was fired last week.

On Monday, The Daily Telegraph reported the NSW Police Commissioner began the process of hiring a new spin doctor days after she was repeatedly criticised for her poor public performances and media handling of an alleged double murder.

The Telegraph has been told senior NSW Government officials, acting on behalf of Commissioner Webb, were approaching people for the role of NSW Police Director of Public Affairs around February 29, while Liz Deegan was in the job and unaware.

The timing marked the end of a shocking week for the Commissioner who was questioned why it took her three days to address the public after Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon was charged with murdering Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies inside a Paddington terrace on February 19.

After a fiery press conference on Monday 26, Commissioner Webb went on to make repeated gaffes in multiple media interviews that week, including the now infamous Taylor Swift quote “haters gonna hate” in reference to her critics.

Liz Deegan, the media chief at time, was said to be ‘blindsided’ when she was sacked last Monday.

By then, it’s understood former television producer Steve Jackson had been interviewed for the role multiple times, and all but signed his contract.

NSW Police sources confirmed yesterday that Jackson, 43, will begin as Director of Media after Easter.

He will be the fourth spin doctor under Commissioner Webb in two years, following on from Grant Williams, Alex Hodgkinson and Ms Deegan.

Jackson resigned last week as supervising producer at Seven’s flagship program.

Prior to Seven, he has held roles of NSW editor at The Australian, chief-of-staff at Nine’s 60 Minutes and various senior roles at The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph.

NSW Police did not respond to questions about why the position was not advertised.

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