By Perry Duffin
NSW Police have torn up the contract appointing television producer Steve Jackson as the new chief of their media unit, following a fortnight of criticism.
Jackson, a veteran journalist, was announced as the new head of the powerful NSW Police Media Unit after Police Commissioner Karen Webb dismissed her top media adviser Liz Deegan on March 13.
Police Minister Yasmin Catley, Steve Jackson and Police Commissioner Karen Webb.
Deegan had been in the job for less than one year, a tenure starting with the Tasering of a 95-year-old great-grandmother in Cooma and ending with a serving officer allegedly killing couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with his service pistol.
Public gaffes by Webb had compounded the horrors of Beau Lamarre-Condon’s alleged double murder and the commissioner began searching for a replacement who could put the controversy to rest.
Jackson’s appointment did just the opposite.
Last week, The Sydney Morning Herald revealed Jackson, who had worked at Channel Seven’s investigative series Spotlight, was recommended for the role by his friend, Ross Neilson, who is the chief of staff to NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley.
Sources within NSW Police, not authorised to speak publicly, were blindsided when an offer was extended to Jackson without the $360,000 a year role being advertised.
Tensions grew last week between the offices of Catley and Webb, culminating in claims police staff had been excluded from the minister’s office in NSW Parliament.
Catley’s staff denied the claim.
On Tuesday last week, Catley’s office released a statement confirming Jackson had been appointed to the role on a temporary basis, for six months.
The statement again caught NSW Police off-guard after they had maintained they were still “negotiating” Jackson’s appointment.
Internally, police were increasingly concerned about Jackson’s alleged ties to alleged rapist Bruce Lehrmann who had been paid for an interview with Spotlight in the form of an expensive rental home in Sydney’s north.
The Herald on Saturday reported photos had surfaced of Jackson sitting on a couch next to a naked former model and socialite.
Webb, speaking to 2GB’s Ray Hadley on Monday, said she had not yet committed to going through with the appointment of Jackson as the force’s most senior media adviser.
Then, on Thursday, police reversed the decision to appoint Jackson, releasing a short statement.
“The NSW Police Force has ceased the temporary appointment for the role of the Executive Director, Public Affairs Branch,” the statement read.
“To best serve the interests of the NSW Police and community, the Executive Director, Public Affairs Branch needs to be able to fulfil the duties of the role free from external distractions and ongoing media attention.
“The current arrangements for the role will continue for the time being.”
Jackson told the Herald on Thursday he would not be commenting.
The producer had resigned from Spotlight with his boss, Mark Llewellyn, singing his praises on March 18.
“Jacko is like an iceberg. 90% of what he does you don’t see. But I do, and all I really need to say is that he has been critical to the evolution and success of Spotlight and will be sorely missed, especially by me,” Llewellyn told staff in an email.
Jackson and Llewellyn’s names were both on the entry for a Walkley Scoop of the Year award after Lehrmann’s interview with Spotlight aired in 2023.
Conspicuously absent was the name of another Spotlight producer, Taylor Auerbach, who has since fallen out with both Jackson and Lehrmann after it emerged Seven had paid Lehrmann’s rent in return for his interview.
Auerbach was also present at the home of the naked socialite and was at the centre of another story involving Jackson, which caused consternation among police last week.
News.com.au reported almost $3000 was charged to a Seven corporate credit card for a Thai masseuse service in November 2022 as Auerbach tried to secure the exclusive interview with Lehrmann.
Jackson, who was not present for the booking, texted Auerbach instructions on how to reverse the charge and pay cash, plus a $250 bonus, instead.
Auerbach lost his job at Sky News as the drama grew last week, prompting the producer to make a brief comment to journalists about both Jackson and Lehrmann.
“Jacko is like an iceberg. Ninety per cent of what he does you don’t see. But I do, and all I really need to say is that my lawyers have been engaged,” Auerbach told the Herald, echoing Lewellyn’s words.
Lehrmann denied the masseuse claims and said they had been made by a “disgruntled” former Seven producer.
This week, Auerbach demanded Lehrmann apologise for the remarks or face a defamation lawsuit.
The media unit, since Deegan’s departure, has been run on a temporary basis by Superintendent Kirsty Heyward, who has held the role before and is well-liked within the media unit.
The spokesmen for Premier Chris Minns and Catley said the decision over Jackson was “a matter for the police”.
Seven has been contacted for comment.
Lehrmann was put on trial in the ACT for the alleged sexual assault of then-fellow Liberal staffer Brittany Higgins. The trial collapsed due to juror misconduct and he always denied the charge.
He is facing unrelated rape charges relating to a woman in Queensland in October 2021 and intends to plead not guilty.