Radio star Ray Hadley says ‘naive’ Police Minister Yasmin Catley should be moved on

Yasmin Catley admits her office was involved in “permitted” discussions over Steve Jackson’s appointment.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley has confirmed that her office was involved in replacing Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s chief spin doctor, in a move which sparked anger among senior officers and a breakdown in the relationship between the force and the Minister’s office.

Tensions between the police top brass and Macquarie St have begun to emerge this week, with one police media staffer told not to join Minister Catley’s staff at state parliament for their usual role working between the two offices during sitting weeks.

It is understood that move was made to avoid the police staffer being present for the tense conversations seemingly being had in Ms Catley’s office this week.

Breaking her silence on the saga surrounding the appointment of former television producer Steve Jackson to the role, in the wake of Liz Deegan’s sacking last week, Ms Catley confirmed her office “discussed” the matter with Ms Webb’s staff.

Multiple sources confirmed Ms Catley’s office actually went one further, suggesting Mr Jackson for the role.

Police minister Yasmin Catley has come under fire for possible role in Mr Jackson’s appointment. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Breaking her silence on the saga surrounding the appointment of former television producer Steve Jackson to the role, Ms Catley said that her office “discussed” the matter with Ms Webb’s staff.

Ms Catley’s office suggested Mr Jackson for the role.

The Daily Telegraph revealed on Monday that government officials were sounding out potential candidates for the Director of Public Affairs on or about February 29.

At the time the role was held by Liz Deegan.

The Daily Telegraph understands she was unaware of moves to replace her. Ms Deegan was sacked last week.

Government sources insist there was nothing wrong with Ms Catley’s office sounding out potential candidates to replace the Police Commissioner’s top spinner.

Steve Jackson has been appointed Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s chief media adviser.

However, the move blindsided members of the NSW Police force who were unaware of moves to appoint Mr Jackson.

Ms Catley told parliament on Wednesday that neither her or her office “directed” Ms Webb to sack Ms Deegan.

“No I did not,” she said.

“Like every other department head in this state … the Commissioner is entitled to select her own executive team.”

However, Ms Catley conceded that her office discussed engaging Mr Jackson in the role.

“The police commissioner’s office and my office work very closely together, and of course the commissioner’s office would have discussed these matters like this with my office,” she said.

Under rules for public service appointments, Ms Catley or her office are prohibited from directing Ms Webb to hire or fire her staff.

In a statement on Tuesday night, a spokeswoman for Ms Catley said Mr Jackson’s hiring was “temporary’’.

“(He had been appointed to run the NSW Police media unit) on a temporary basis for six months,” the spokeswoman said.

“This appointment was made through a suitability assessment process in accordance with the rules of the Government Sector Employment (NSW Police Force) Rules 2017.

“This involved assessment of Mr Jackson’s suitability for the role against key selection criteria,” the spokeswoman said.

Mr Jackson was interviewed and a police check was undertaken.

“Under the GSE Act, consultation regarding senior executive appointments is permitted but all appointments are the decision of the heads of agencies,” Ms Catley’s spokeswoman said.

Earlier on Wednesday, radio star Ray Hadley slammed Ms Catley for suggesting a new media chief for top cop Karen Webb in a heated tirade in which he told the Premier to sack the Police Minister.

The process behind the hiring of veteran journalist Steve Jackson as Commissioner Webb’s chief media adviser has turned into another mess, with her tenure as NSW’s first female top cop repeatedly overshadowed by mistakes in the press.

Ms Webb’s former media chief Liz Deegan was dismissed last week.

The 2GB broadcaster on Wednesday took aim at Ms Catley, claiming she was incapable of doing her job.

“Chris Minns has a number of problems, he’s got a number of ministers who should be moved on and Yasmin Catley heads that list,” he said during his morning show.

“She is not up to the former librarian being the police minister in the state of NSW, she’s just not up to it.”

The radio heavyweight accused the police minister of being “naive” for letting her chief of staff pick the new media chief.

“And if she’s so naive to let her chief of staff make a decision with her approval on who should be guiding the commissioner, who needs desperate help when it comes to media, that the old mates club comes into the fray, into the picture, ‘he’s a good mate of mine, he’s a good fella, give him the job,’ is that how it works?

Hadley later doubled down on his statement and again called for Ms Catley’s resignation.

“Yasmin Catley, it’s not your job to appoint, via your chief of staff, someone to help the commissioner with her media appearances,” Hadley said.

“It’s just not your job, and I’ve said previously she is the problem, Yasmin Catley with the NSW Police Force, she is not up to the ministerial role she has been given.”

It comes after Ms Catley, whose chief-of-staff Ross Neilson is a close friend of Mr Jackson, refused to say if she or her staff introduced the journalist to the commissioner or recommended him for the role.

Ray Hadley said Premier Chris Minns should move on Police Minister Yasmin Catley. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Mr Jackson’s appointment as the new Executive Director of Public Affairs was leaked in the media on Monday.

He will be the fourth media manager for Commissioner Webb in the past two years and comes when she needs help the most after a tough few weeks in front of the media.

The NSW Police Commissioner has come under fire for repeated blunders with the press. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Commissioner Webb was criticised for not being on the front foot and addressing the public when one of her officers, Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon, was charged with murdering Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, on February 19.

It took her three days for her to appear in front of the media, and when she did, Commissioner Webb went on to make a series of faux pas, including calling the alleged killing a “crime of passion” and expressing gratitude to Lamarre-Condon for assisting detectives to locate the pairs’ bodies.

She faced similar criticism last year following the alleged Taser death of 95-year-old great-grandmother Clare Nowland at the hands of a police officer in Cooma.

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