The New South Wales government has announced it will move to expel independent MP Gareth Ward from parliament following his convictions for sexual assault.
Warning: This story has details which may be upsetting to some readers.
Ward was convicted last week of sexually assaulting two young men. The two separate incidents occurred over a decade ago. On Wednesday his bail was revoked and he was taken into custody while awaiting sentencing.
When parliament returns on Tuesday the government will move a motion to expel Ward, the first time the powers to remove a sitting member of the lower house of parliament have been used since 1917.
The vote is expected to pass comfortably with both the government and the Liberal opposition voicing support for the move.
Ward was a member of the Liberal party when he was first elected to parliament in 2011. After he was charged over the offences in 2022, Ward was suspended from the NSW parliament after the charged were placed. He was re-elected to the seat at the 2023 election as an independent.
On Monday Premier Chris Minns repeated his call for Ward to resign from his position, describing his continued presence in parliament as “ridiculous”.
Prior to being taken in to custody on Wednesday Ward has not made any indication that he intends to resign from his position. Opposition leader Mark Speakman has also said it’s time for him to go.
“The fact that he is now incarcerated makes that call even stronger,” Speakman said.
If the motion to expel the MP is successful he will immediately loose his salary and entitlements. The responsibilities for his Kiama electorate will be taken over by the Speaker, until a by-election is conducted and a new representative takes their seat.
