‘Laughing stock’: NSW Police thrown into a spin trying to contain Steve Jackson fallout

The NSW Police media unit was thrown into chaos trying to deal with fallout after Commissioner Karen Webb hired journalist Steve Jackson as the cops’ chief spin doctor, with one employee conceding they were a “laughing stock”.

The NSW Police media unit was thrown into chaos trying to deal with fallout after Commissioner Karen Webb hired journalist Steve Jackson as the cops’ chief spin doctor, with one employee conceding they were a “laughing stock”.

The brutal self assessment was contained in new documents released to parliament which reveal that Ms Webb initiated Mr Jackson’s appointment as the Public Affairs Branch executive director while the job was still occupied.

The documents also reveal that the state’s top bureaucrat personally stepped in to contain an explosion of bad publicity, in a highly unusual move.

The trove of documents have revealed a never-before-seen insight into the frenzy inside the NSW Police Force after Mr Jackson’s appointment was publicly revealed.

The documents also reveal that Ms Webb started the process of hiring Mr Jackson on March 11 – two days before incumbent Liz Deegan was sacked.

Steve Jackson’s appointment sent NSW Police into a spin.

Sacked NSW Police media chief Liz Deegan.

Ms Webb’s office had provided Mr Jackson’s CV to the “Senior Executive Services Manager” three days earlier.

Ms Deegan was terminated on March 13, “without reasons or notice,” the documents said.

By March 14, security vetting on Mr Jackson had been completed, and he was formally offered the job on March 15.

The frenzy around Mr Jackson’s appointment set in four days later, when the Telegraph reported that Mr Jackson was set to take over as the NSW Police’s chief spinner.

Police Commissioner Karen Webb started the process of appointing Mr Jackson as the Public Affairs Branch Executive Director before the incumbent was sacked. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

Premier’s Department Secretary Simon Draper stepped in to help contain the fallout, in a highly unusual move. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Just before 5pm on March 19, the boss of the NSW public service texted Ms Webb offering to help contain the media storm.

“I was just calling to see how we can help with media adviser situation,” Premier’s Department Secretary Simon Draper said in the text, released to parliament.

“I’ll need to make sure we’ve spoken and that any advice we’re asked for is based on fact.”

NSW Police was still refusing to confirm Mr Jackson’s appointment until just after 9pm, when a spokeswoman for Police Minister Yasmin Catley told the Telegraph Mr Jackson had been hired on a “temporary” basis.

Steve Jackson’s appointment was terminated even before he began work.

That statement was issued after Mr Draper and the Premier’s Department bureaucrats stepped in to help contain the situation. The statement was made without the knowledge of the NSW Police’s highly-paid media unit.

The statement was shared in a media unit group chat at 9.44pm.

One employee then complained that the statement had sparked a flurry of texts from reporters.

“Ffs,” acting Public Affairs Branch boss, Superintendent Kirsty Hayward, said.

“We’re a laughing stock,” another media staffer observed.

Mr Draper’s involvement in containing the furore caused by Mr Jackson’s appointment was highly unusual.

The Premier’s Department would not usually become involved in the public messaging around a simple public service hire.

Ultimately, Mr Jackson’s appointment was “terminated” before he even started the job.

He left with four weeks’ pay.

The Premier’s Department was also intimately involved in the messaging around Mr Jackson’s termination: the documents released to parliament suggest the Premier’s Department, rather than the NSW Police, drafted the public statement issued when Mr Jackson was terminated.

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