Why top cop Karen Webb switched interview from Fordham to Hadley

Last week, Ben Fordham thought he had Karen Webb lined up for a tell-all interview. Days later it was 2GB stablemate Ray Hadley who had sealed the deal.

• Commissioner still vetting spin doctor

A dramatic tug-of-war over an interview with Police Commissioner Karen Webb unfolded at 2GB Radio on Monday morning.

The embattled commissioner was scheduled to face questions on the surprise appointment of former producer Steve Jackson as her chief spin doctor amid repeated criticism for her poor public performances and media handling of an alleged double murder.

Last week, the top cop agreed to speak with Ben Fordham on Monday morning, but Ms Webb pulled the pin after she took offence to a question Fordham asked the NSW Premier on Friday.

“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.

“Has Karen Webb, the Police Commissioner in NSW, offered you her resignation?” Fordham had asked in that interview with Mr Minns.

NSW Police Commissioner, Karen Webb, leaves 2GB on Monday after her interview with Ray Hadley. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The commissioner cancelled her interview with 2GB host Ben Fordham. Picture: 2GB

“No, no absolutely not,” Minns replied.

“Do you want her to?” Fordham said.

“No I don’t, I don’t.” Minns said.

Fordham claimed that the question to Minns was the reason behind her cancellation.

“Karen Webb told me that the question was cheeky, and for that she’s not coming on this show today,” Fordham said.

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

Fordham opened his editorial with an apology on behalf of the commissioner, before taking aim at her for hiding.

“Well I’m sorry to say it but the NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb has cancelled an appearance on our show this morning,” Fordham began.

“Morale within the police force is tanking and the commissioner has gone into hiding again.

“A month ago we called her out for doing the same thing, back then she made no public appearances about an accused double murderer being a member of the NSW Police Force.

“And when we criticised her over that she scrambled onto 2GB, followed by the rest. But now we’re back to the same routine.”

Steve Jackson was appointed to the position last week.

But less than two hours later, the police commissioner appeared in the 2GB studio to speak with Fordham’s colleague, Ray Hadley.

In a restrained interview with the 2GB veteran, the commissioner conceded she can “certainly do better” in the public arena.

“I can improve, and if you look at some of my predecessors, most cops join the police to be in the police, not to be in the media,” she said to Hadley.

“So certainly I can do better and I will, thanks for the opportunity … Mistakes are made, I need to own it on behalf of the organisation.

It was a restrained interview with 2GB’s Ray Hadley.

“That often puts me at odds with other things in the organisation.”

Ms Webb also conceded that she spoke to Yasmin Catley’s chief of staff, Ross Neilson, for advice on who should take the job after former media advsier Liz Deegan was axed on March 13.

“I asked the minister’s chief of staff, who’s been around in this game for a long time,” Webb explained.

“Ross used to run the police media unit many years ago, so he was an ideal person to ask … he gave me a couple of suggestions and I followed up with Steve (and) interviewed Steve.

“And then we went through a process where we compared his skills against what we were looking for, and so that’s where we’ve landed and how we’ve landed there.”

She also said security vetting checks on her newly appointed media spin doctor Steve Jackson remained ongoing.

Liz Deegan who was fired last week and replaced by Steve Jackson.

“So when someone is first appointed it’s a baseline check,” Ms Webb 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.”

During the interview, Hadley suggested Webb finds a media adviser in light of criticism she’s received from repeated press blunders.

“The role runs the whole media unit, for the whole police force, the organisation and putting out good stories for all the great work police do,” Webb said.

“That’s the role of the position, it’s not my media adviser, Karen Webb doesn’t have a media adviser but that position is 24/7.

“Can I suggest you get one,” Hadley joked.

“Maybe I need one Ray, maybe I can take some guidance from you,” Webb replied.

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Originally published as Why top cop Karen Webb switched interview from Fordham to Hadley