Barilaro calls on Michael Johnsen to resign over ‘lewd texts’ to sex worker

Deputy Premier John Barilaro has called on Michael Johnsen to resign after reports he offered a woman $1000 to come to his office for sex.

Embattled MP Michael Johnsen could face expulsion from NSW Parliament if he does not resign, after reports he offered a sex worker $1000 to come to his office for sex before sending the woman sexually-charged messages while sitting in the chamber.

If the suspended Nationals MP — who is facing claims from the same woman that he sexually assaulted her — quits or is expelled, it would spark a by-election in his marginal seat of Upper Hunter which the NSW government would face an uphill battle to win.

The Deputy Premier and senior Ministers yesterday called on Mr Johnsen to resign immediately following the ABC reports on the texts.

“This is disgusting behaviour and will never be acceptable, nor should it be and I’m calling for him to resign from Parliament immediately,” Nationals leader John Barilaro said yesterday morning.

Facing more sex claims … suspended Nationals MP Michael Johnsen.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian agreed with her deputy, saying she was “absolutely disgusted” by the allegations.

“To engage in that type of behaviour in the workplace is completely unacceptable,” she said, highlighting that Parliament House is “a workplace which establishes our laws”.

“That is why I support calls for him to resign,” she said.

Mr Barilaro’s scathing assessment came after the national broadcaster obtained “hundreds” of texts between Mr Johnsen and the sex worker. It was reported that Mr Johnsen’s racy texts included messages sent from Question Time, as well as a lewd video.

NSW police are investigating allegations by the woman that Mr Johnsen raped her without her consent at a meeting in which she consented only to oral sex in 2019. No charges have been laid.

Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro has called on his MP to resign. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

After a Labor MP used parliamentary privilege to air the allegations at a still-unnamed government MP, Mr Johnsen identified himself as the man under investigation and denied wrongdoing.

He said he was confident an investigation would find him innocent.

He has been asked to leave the National Party and is currently on leave from work.

The ABC said hundreds of texts between Mr Johnsen and the woman were sent in August and September 2019.

In August, the woman responded to an online ad by Mr Johnsen seeking fellatio.

The ABC reports that he identified himself as a politician in the messages and that he offered to pay her $1000 to attend NSW parliament in budget estimates to see him.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian: ‘If that is correct I am absolutely disgusted’

On September 9, 2019, Mr Johnsen sent the woman a link to the budget estimates session for September 10, the ABC reports. “I have budget estimates scheduled between 9.30-12.30 tomorrow,” he wrote. “My PH office could be fun … come to the Jubilee Room and wait for me there.”

“If you wanted to, I’d be happy to shout you lunch here at PH when I’m done and dessert, well we know how that could be (wink emoji).”

She replied: “Haha, that could be fun!” And he said: “If you’re up for that, let’s do it.”

She cancelled the meeting.

They subsequently had the paid sexual encounter in the Blue Mountains on September 15 where the woman alleges she was raped.

The ABC reported that they subsequently had another paid meeting on September 23 for oral sex before she texted him a topless photo of herself the next day.

He replied: “Hmmm … not fair. I’m sitting in the chamber with a hard on now! Xxx”

Upper Hunter MP Michael Johnsen has stepped down as member of the Nationals party.

Then on September 26, the pair reportedly exchanged more messages, and he sent a video of a man masturbating in the toilets holding a photo of the same woman.

They reportedly met again at Lennox Bridge that day, where they had “consensual paid sexual intercourse”.

The woman alleges he did not pay in full for the third meeting and then stopped responding to her texts.