Despite an ongoing furore over her office’s recommendation of formerSpotlight producer Steve Jackson to the highly remunerated role as executive director of public affairs at NSW Police,Minns said his under-fire minister retained his absolute confidence.
Premier Chris Minns has defended under-fire Police Minister Yasmin Catley.Steven Siewert
Revelations involving Jackson,appointed to the role last week,have embroiled Catley’s office after this masthead her chief of staff,Ross Neilson,who is a personal acquaintance of Jackson,had recommended the veteran media figure for the NSW Police position.
The recommendation has come under scrutiny after photos began circulating of Jackson sitting next to a naked Sydney socialite taken in her apartment after an interview in December 2019. The woman,who theHerald has opted not to name,told a media outlet on Saturday that the pictures were taken at her “lowest ebb”.
The furore came after criticism of Catley’s handling of the tasering of great-grandmother Clare Nowland in May last year.
But asked directly whether Catley would stay in the job until the next election,Minns replied:“Yeah,absolutely.”
“I really want to get across to you that this is a minister that’s focused on reform has worked hand in glove with the commissioner for police. And those reforms are working. So I want to demonstrate to you and to the people of NSW,I do have faith in the reforms that are being pursued,” he said.
“It’s a difficult job. There will always be critics of the minister for police,but I’ve got enormous faith in the job that she’s doing.”
Minns said Catley had done an “incredibly good job in difficult circumstances”.
At the same time,Catley was holding a press conference nearly two hours north in Lake Macquarie. She said Police Commissioner Karen Webb retained her full support,and stressed there was no tension between the two despite revealing a fracture between the pair’s offices.
‘There is no rift between her and I. In fact,I shared dinner with her last night.’
Police Minister Yasmin Catley on her relationship with Commissioner Karen Webb
“There is no rift between her and I. In fact,I shared dinner with her last night,” Catley said.
The minister also defended her chief of staff,who suggested Jackson to Webb for the role of NSW Police media director,saying Neilson gave her “sound and sage” advice every day.
“Yes,I trust his advice,” Catley said.
Asked whether Webb had made a poor decision in appointing Jackson,Catley said:“That’s a matter for the police,they make their own decisions about who they employ,as they should.”
Police Commissioner Karen Webb and Police Minister Yasmin CatleySydney Morning Herald
Catley said she had a “tough job to do” but her focus remained on ensuring the police force was well-resourced.
On Monday,Webb said the offer to Jackson could be rescinded if an additional security vetting process found he was unsuitable for the role,after the photos emerged.
“I won’t preempt that,but that could happen. Information has been provided to us,and it is being viewed as part of that employment process,” she told 2GB’s Ray Hadley.
The unfolding saga over Jackson’s hiring took another strange turn on Monday afternoon,after his former friend and colleague at Seven’sSpotlight program,Taylor Auerbach,delivered a bizarre,two-minute press conference in Elizabeth Bay.
Former Sky News producer Taylor Auerbach delivered a bizarre press conference on Monday afternoon.James Brickwood
Auerbach,who until Friday was hired as an investigations producer at Sky News,took a swipe at ex-political staffer Bruce Lehrmann.
Auerbach had allegedly used a corporate credit card to pay $3000 for the services of Thai masseuses,a claim Lehrmann rejected as an “an untrue and bizarre story from a disgruntled ex-Network Seven producer”.
On Monday,Auerbach said of that statement:“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. That’s all I can say for the time being.”
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