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Gareth Ward checks in with Kings Cross police as Liberals eye Kiama seat

On what could be one of his final days of freedom, controversial MP Gareth Ward fronted Kings Cross police station as speculation swirls over a looming by-election, with Liberal hopefuls already jockeying to reclaim the seat of Kiama.

Kiama MP Gareth Ward leaving his apartment in Potts Point on what could be one of his last days of freedom. Picture: Richard Dobson
Kiama MP Gareth Ward leaving his apartment in Potts Point on what could be one of his last days of freedom. Picture: Richard Dobson

NSW MP Gareth Ward spent what could be one of his last days of freedom reporting to Kings Cross police station yesterday as jostling began among Liberals for his seat of Kiama.

The former Liberal minister who was on Friday found guilty by a jury of four offences relating to the sexual abuse of two young men greeted the media as he left his Potts Point apartment on Saturday morning.

The independent MP is required to report to police daily between 8am and 8pm at either Kings Cross or Nowra police stations.

Holding a blue umbrella and wearing his trademark hat, Ward left his home shortly after 9am before slipping through an arcade on his way to the police.

The Kiama MP smiled at the media as he walked to the station, declaring: “That’s all right, you’ve got a job to do”.

The former families minister was granted bail release ahead of a hearing on Wednesday where the Crown will seek to have the MP taken into custody ahead of his sentence.

As part of his bail conditions, Ward is allowed to live at either his Potts Point residence or his property on the South Coast.

Ward – who maintained his innocence throughout the trial – has yet to lodge an appeal.

Long before the verdict was handed down by the 12-person jury, both sides of politics were discussing the exact mechanism of suspending or expelling Ward from state parliament should he refuse calls by Labor and the Coalition to resign.

Historically, MPs charged with serious offences have quit state parliament.

Ward resigned from the Liberal Party upon learning he was the subject of a police investigation, but has continued his political career.

Voters returned him to his seat of Kiama as an independent even after he was later charged by police with three counts of indecent assault and one count of sexual intercourse without consent.

Gareth Ward is required to report to police daily between 8am and 8pm at either Kings Cross or Nowra police stations. Picture: Richard Dobson
Gareth Ward is required to report to police daily between 8am and 8pm at either Kings Cross or Nowra police stations. Picture: Richard Dobson

While the Constitution states an MP’s seat can be declared vacant if the member is convicted of an offence punishable by a term of five years or more, the exact steps are yet to be worked out.

With the prospect of Kiama being declared vacant, Liberal Party powerbrokers were yesterday floating names of possible candidates should a by-election be called in a bid to reclaim the seat they held up until Ward quit the party in 2021.

The Sunday Telegraph approached one of the prospective candidates yesterday, who confirmed interest but did not want to be named until the seat was formally declared vacant.

“There is still the appeal process to get through, and who knows how long that will take so it would be jumping the gun to announce anything now,” the potential candidate said.

Ward, hitherto a prolific social media user, yesterday shut down his Facebook and Instagram pages.

Originally published as Gareth Ward checks in with Kings Cross police as Liberals eye Kiama seat

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/nsw/gareth-ward-checks-in-with-kings-cross-police-as-liberals-eye-kiama-seat/news-story/963e78e849064cabfcdb250c2d5cfffa