NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb cancels contract of fourth media chief in two years

NSW police commissioner Karen Webb has cancelled Steve Jackson’s contract, with a spokesperson saying the role should be filled by someone ‘free from external distractions and ongoing media attention’.

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

NSW police commissioner Karen Webb has cancelled the contract her fourth media chief in two years.

Commissioner Webb hired former Seven producer Steve Jackson as her public relations adviser earlier this month, following a series of colossal media bungles during the investigation of the alleged double-murder of Jessie Baird and Luke Davies.

Her decision to appoint Jackson, who played a key role in securing Seven’s paid interview with Bruce Lehrmann, was criticised by some sections of the media.

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

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

On Thursday, a statement from NSW Police said Jackson’s “temporary appointment” had ceased.

“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 statement read.

“The current arrangements for the role will continue for the time being.”

Jackson, who has previously worked for The Australian, is the fourth adviser to depart from the role in two years, following on from Grant Williams, Alex Hodgkinson and Liz Deegan.

Ms Deegan was reportedly sacked from the job earlier this month after Commissioner Webb was widely criticised for failing to front the media for three days during the murder investigation of Mr Baird and Mr Davies and the statewide manhunt for Beau Lamarre-Condon.

When she finally did appear, she made the now-infamous Taylor Swift gaffe, quoting the lyric “haters gonna hate” in reference to her critics.

Commissioner Webb was also criticised last year for not fronting the media over the death of 95-year-old aged care resident Clare Nowland, who was tasered by an officer while she was holding a steak knife.

A new defamation case

Following Jackson’s appointment, media reports emerged that an unnamed Seven producer – not Jackson – booked Thai massages for himself and Mr Lehrmann, and paid for them with a corporate credit card in November 2022.

Taylor Auerbach (L) and Bruce Lehrmann (R).

At the time, Jackson and the Spotlight team were attempting to get Mr Lehrmann on board for a tell-all interview, which would later go on to be nominated for a Walkley Award. The nomination was stripped after officials discovered Seven had paid a year’s rent for Mr Lehrmann in exchange for the interview.

After the masseuse allegations were aired, Mr Lehrmann told The Australian that they were “untrue”.

Taylor Auerbach arriving to make a statement to the media in Elizabeth Bay on Monday. Picture: Jonathan Ng

“It’s an untrue and bizarre story from a disgruntled ex-Network Seven producer,” he said. “Network Seven have only ever covered reasonable travel for filming and accommodation.”

The unnamed producer and “disgruntled employee” was later revealed to be Taylor Auerbach, who told reporters on Monday that while “Mr Lehrmann very quickly issued a denial about the story … I would like to make it abundantly clear that I reject Mr Lehrmann’s accusations.”

When Seven were alerted to the fact Auerbach put massages for him and Mr Lehrmann on a corporate credit card, Jackson allegedly suggested he ask the masseuse to reverse the transactions the next day and offer to pay cash including a $250 “bonus”.

The masseuses were booked without the knowledge or consent of anyone else at Seven, including Jackson.

Auerbach sent a defamation concerns notice to Mr Lehrmann on Thursday over his denial that he was involved in the Thai massage saga.