Undie-Gate MP Gareth Ward to be investigated by parliamentary probe

Kiama MP Gareth Ward’s 4am walk to parliament in nothing but underwear and a T-shirt will be investigated by parliament’s Privileges and Ethics committee.

• WATCH: 4am walk a MP did in undies, shirt and socks

Embattled MP Gareth Ward will now face a parliamentary probe into allegations he turned up at parliament at 4am on a Sunday morning wearing nothing but underpants, socks and a T-shirt.

The Kiama MP was referred to the Parliamentary Privileges and Ethics committee on Thursday afternoon after The Daily Telegraph revealed the bombshell allegations after a months-long investigation.

The Standing Committee on Parliamentary Privileges and Ethics will investigate whether Mr Ward’s behaviour on that Sunday morning “gives rise to any issues concerning the appropriate conduct of a Member with respect to their responsibilities and duties to their constituents and the safety and welfare of parliamentary staff”.

The committee has been asked to make recommendations as to whether the parliament should take any action “having regard to all the circumstances relating to the member”.

This is the second time Mr Ward has been referred to the Privileges Committee, with the first being in May 2023 when a motion was passed requesting the parliamentary privileges committee report on members who are facing criminal charges. Mr Ward was not directly named in the motion.

Gareth Ward speaking in NSW parliament on September 25, (main picture), and (inset) CCTV screen grabs of Mr Ward trying to enter NSW parliament late at night. Pictures: Supplied

Mr Ward is currently battling allegations he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old man and had non-consensual sexual intercourse with another man in his 20s at his Potts Point apartment.

Mr Ward was suspended from parliament in 2022 after being charged with the offences but was re-elected at the 2023 election.

He has pleaded not guilty, and is due to go to trial next year. He has previously issued a statement strongly denying the allegations.

WARD SLAMS ‘BLIND FREDDY’ COMMENT

Prior to the latest referral Gareth Ward hit out at Premier Chris Minns’ response to the scandal.

The Kiama MP accused Mr Minns of making “cutting comments” and using a “poor choice of words” earlier on Thursday.

“Blind Freddy would also say this isn’t the first time an incident like this has happened with this member of parliament, so it’s a major concern,” Minns said.

and I think by common consent, far from appropriate in the workplace,” the Premier said.

In reply, Mr Ward — who is legally blind — said that was a poorly chosen phrase.

“I’m used to getting smeared by Labor and the premier — and his reference to ‘blind Freddy’ in the context of someone who is legally blind is a poor choice of words,” Mr Ward said.

“I know he’s not like that, so I’ll let it slide. I’m focused on combating the Premier’s cuts to my community rather than his cutting comments.”

Mr Minns said allegations contained in a top-secret report of Mr Ward’s behaviour were “very serious”, that parliament would be looking at next steps as to whether he would be censured and referred to the privileges committee.

Mr Ward also denied lying about how long it took to walk from his home to parliament on the night in question.

4AM WALK

The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday revealed bombshell allegations against the independent MP – who is due to face court next year over alleged sex offences – following a months-long investigation into an incident in the early hours of Sunday July 21.

“These are very serious facts,” Mr Minns said.

“It wouldn’t be appropriate at the Commonwealth Bank or the Department of Education and I think taxpayers would say it is not appropriate in the NSW parliament either.

NSW Premier Chris Minns. Picture: Damian Shaw

Mr Minns said he was expecting an explanation of the behaviour from both parliamentary staff and Mr Ward.

“We’ll be looking at their explanations in the hours ahead but this is a workplace, not just for members of parliament that work in the parliamentary building and we’ve all got a responsibility to uphold the standard of behaviour inside that building, even if it is at 4 o’clock in the morning,” he said.

“Obviously parliament has to make its decision about what the next steps are, I’m sure my colleagues have been looking at the allegations — we do regard them as serious.”

Mr Minns said the fact this was not the first incident from the Kiama MP was cause for concern.

The secret report into the incident, provided to a select group of parliamentary officials, alleged that Mr Ward tried to enter the building at about 4.20am on July 21 wearing a “T-shirt, underwear, (and) socks,” with a gash on his head.

In a statement, Mr Ward said he had locked himself out of his nearby apartment after being woken by a noise. Mr Ward has two Sydney homes – one in Potts Point, and one in Woolloomooloo. Mr Ward said his apartment was about an “eight minutes walk/jog” to parliament.

“Having been woken and responding to a noise at the rear of my apartment, I locked myself out of my property in the early hours of 21 July,” he said.

“Given it was freezing at around 4AM in July, with no prospect of getting a locksmith, not having my phone and with my property around eight minutes walk/jog to parliament, I went to parliament to get my spare key.”

It took the Telegraph 11 minutes and 27 seconds to walk the same journey yesterday afternoon.

Mr Ward denied that he was drunk on the morning in question. He did not deny that he was only wearing underwear.

Mr Ward arrived at ­parliament’s front entrance on Thursday at 10.30am, before attending Question Time.

He left about 5.30pm, running out the back entrance to get into a waiting Uber.

Originally published as Undie-Gate MP Gareth Ward to be investigated by parliamentary probe