Sacked Sky News producer Taylor Auerbach’s bizarre press conference amid cop spin doctor saga

As the fiasco surrounding the hire of Steve Jackson to the NSW Police media unit widened, his former friend and colleague Taylor Auerbach addressed the media.

• Webb still vetting spin doctor

A former television producer named as the person who booked a Thai massage for Bruce Lehrmann on a Seven Network credit card has rejected that he was counselled and sacked for his role in the matter, in a bizarre Monday afternoon press conference.

At a hastily convened gathering of media at an Elizabeth Bay park, former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach read from a prepared statement in which he denied he had lost his job over the 2022 incident.

“It was reported that I was counselled and given a written warning by Channel Seven over my conduct relating to a night involving Bruce Lehrmann – that reporting is inaccurate. As are reports that I lost my job over the incident,” Auerbach said.

“Mr Lehrmann very quickly issued a denial about the story, saying, and I quote, ‘it’s an untrue and bizarre story from a disgruntled ex network Seven producer’.

“I would like to make it abundantly clear that I reject Mr Lehrmann’s accusations. That’s all I can say for the time being.”

Bruce Lehrmann speaks to Spotlight on Channel 7 in June, 2023. Picture: Channel 7

The press conference lasted less than two minutes and Auerbach refused to take questions after delivering the statement. As he left the park, bemused journalists shouted after him that he could have sent the statement via a press release.

The unusual appearance adds to the deepening fiasco surrounding Auerbach’s former Spotlight colleague, Steve Jackson. Jackson was last week named as NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb’s new spin doctor, after Liz Deegan was sacked on March 13.

The process behind his appointment has been subject to ongoing controversy since it was confirmed one week ago, although there is no suggestion the veteran journalist is not qualified for the $400,000 a year role.

Jackson was named in a series of text messages where he suggested his then employee Auerbach ask a Thai massage parlour to reverse a charge of $1000 on the Seven credit card in exchange for cash, plus a bonus for the trouble.

Steve Jackson and former colleague Taylor Auerbach as seen in social media post.

The credit card had been used, without Jackson’s knowledge or approval, to book a massage for former Liberal staffer Mr Lehrmann, while Spotlight was in the process of locking him in for a television interview. Mr Lehrmann is not accused of wrongdoing in his dealings with Spotlight. He told The Australian newspaper last week he was in Sydney and did meet with Seven producers on the night in question, but said any suggestion he got a massage was “untrue.”

Auerbach later repaid the money in full to Seven, and Seven says the matter has been dealt with.

After leaving Spotlight last year, Auerbach was employed at Sky News as an investigations producer but he was dismissed on Thursday when the text messages and credit card use came to light.

Auerbach said last week he was speaking to his lawyer.

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Originally published as Sacked Sky News producer Taylor Auerbach’s bizarre press conference amid cop spin doctor saga