‘Pecking order’: Drama erupts over interview

2GB host Ray Hadley has explained the story to how he nabbed a bombshell interview with the NSW Police Commissioner from under Ben Fordham’s nose.

2GB radio host Ray Hadley has explained the backstory to how he nabbed a bombshell interview with the NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb out from under colleague Ben Fordham’s nose.

He said there’s a “pecking order” but insisted he got it fair and square.

Breakfast presenter Fordham put the police commissioner on blast on Monday telling listeners he had been dudded after locking in an interview with the media-shy top cop.

“Why isn’t she turning up on the breakfast show? Well it relates to this question that I asked the Premier Chris Minns on Friday,” an unimpressed Fordham explained to listeners on Monday morning.

“It’s a dummy spit, and it’s another example of the commissioner taking things personally instead of looking for the lesson.”

But after Fordham put the cop on blast, his colleague Hadley, who comes on air straight after on the morning show, has told listeners what happened.

“It wasn’t some 11th hour decision that was made on Monday morning, because I announced on Sunday having been told that Friday should be appearing,’’ he said.

Hadley claimed that the commissioner was double-booked because Ben Fordham wanted to talk about regional crime but that he had offered to spend as long as she needed on the interview and come into the studio so she didn’t need to take security to the outside broadcast in Sydney.

Ray Hadle. Picture: Tim Pascoe

He said there was a “pecking order” on the station and generally breakfast got first dibs.

“I said to her, ‘Look, we can’t do the interview two hours after you’ve spoken to Ben about rural crime, if you want to go through all of this, you know, it just not the way things work’,” Hadley said.

“So, without any human intervention from me on Friday afternoon, my producer Olivia Wilbury told me the commissioner had been in contact and will be appearing with me and that she would be advising Ben’s program of that. So that was her decision.

“As for the nature of the interview being restrained. as reported by The Daily Telegraph, I’m happy for people to call me restrained. usually they call them call me stark raving mad.

“I’ve been around for over 40 years especially more recently, when I deal with, for instance, a police commissioner like I dealt with her. I’m respectful of their position but insistent on getting my questions answered. So I didn’t have to be combative with her yesterday because every question I asked of the commissioner, she answered.”

Commissioner Webb made news in the Hadley interview revealing security checks on new media spin doctor Steve Jackson are “ongoing” leaving the door open to reversing the appointment.

She also revealed she got advice from the Police Minister’s chief of staff over the interview.

In the extraordinary interview, Commissioner Webb told Hadley that the “interim” appointment of Jackson to the $400,000 a year role could be reversed pending those security checks.

NSW Police Commissioner, Karen Webb. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The TV producer was appointed to the role Executive Director, Public Affairs for the NSW Police Force, advising Ms Webb, on a temporary basis for six months. Jackson, who quit his job at the Seven Network in anticipation of taking on the role, was the senior producer on the Spotlight program that paid Mr Lehrmann’s rent for a year in exchange for an interview in which he denied raping Brittany Higgins.

Asked if revelations over the last week could see her revisit her decision to give him the job, Commissioner Webb said: “I won’t pre-empt that, but that could happen.

“Information has been provided to us and it is being viewed as part of that employment process.”

She also confirmed that in the wake of a bizarre scandal involving a photograph of Jackson sitting on a couch with a nude model, that certain information had been passed on the authorities and was being reviewed.

There is no suggestion of any sexual activity or criminal wrongdoing involving Jackson and the former model, who told The Saturday Telegraph that she took her top off in front of the journalist because it was a hot night and that she was at her “lowest ebb” and suffering mental health issues at the time she was interviewed.

2GB radio host Ben Fordham. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Jackson’s appointment has dominated the headlines after it emerged a week ago following the sacking of the incumbent Liz Deegan.

News.com.au does not suggest that Jackson, who has held senior roles on 60 Minutes, Spotlight and The Australian newspaper is not suitable for the role.

But Commissioner Webb volunteered on Monday that the appointment may not be extended after that six month period expires.

“So when someone is first appointed it’s a baseline check,” she said to Hadley.

“What happens after that, the person ticks a box to say that they are happy to have security vetting which is more thorough.

“So we’re in that process now.”