James O’Doherty: NSW Parliament needs to ensure appropriate workplace behaviour

The Premier proclamation that Kiama MP Gareth Ward turning up to parliament in his underwear at 4am was ‘far from appropriate in the workplace’ is correct. But it’s unclear what parliament could do to stop it, writes James O’Doherty.

The nation’s oldest parliament is perhaps our state’s only workplace where a worker could turn up at 4.20am in their underwear — and escape seemingly unscathed.

Following our revelations about Kiama MP Gareth Ward’s “Undie-Gate”, multiple MPs confirmed that they have never arrived at work without pants.

But there would be little recourse to punish them if they did. Among the quirks of parliament is that MPs can access the building at any time.

Premier Chris Minns is right to say that Ward’s actions are “far from appropriate in the workplace”, but it is unclear what parliament might be able to do to stop it.

In a statement of explanation, Ward told me that he had locked himself out of his apartment after being suddenly woken by a noise. “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,” he said.

Kiama MP Gareth Ward, pictured fully clothed and in daylight, says he accidentally locked himself out of his apartment during the pre-dawn hours of Undie-Gate. Picture: Tim Hunter

He said he did not see anyone in the building except for the person who let him in, and said “the imputation that I was drunk is wrong”.

Ward’s late-night appearance out the back of parliament will now be investigated by a special committee tasked with investigating claims of bad behaviour.

It will likely be months before the committee provides a report.

In the meantime, it appears Ward will continue to escape scorn in the eyes of his voters, following a string of unfortunate misadventures.

By his own account, Ward was targeted by a blackmail scam in New York in 2017, when two “aggressive” men tried to extort him for cash.

After booking a “normal, standard massage”, Ward said two men barged into his hotel room, filming, and demanding money.

Three years later, Ward was found sleepwalking naked around his apartment block. As The Daily Telegraph revealed, police had to escort him home – twice.

He thanked emergency services for returning him safely to his house, blaming a medical operation for the episode.

He had earlier been in hospital under general anaesthetic.

CCTV screen grabs of Ward trying to enter NSW Parliament late at night.

Ward, who was not wearing pants, said he needed to get the spare key to his apartment.

None of these unfortunate incidents have done anything to stop Kiama voters returning Ward to parliament.

Voters in the South Coast electorate were still defending their MP on Thursday, following the latest revelations.

Ward’s parliamentary colleagues often joke about his uncanny knack for political survival.

Interestingly, the independent MP’s links to the Liberal Party have also survived being booted from the party.

In 2022, then-premier Dominic Perrottet asked the Liberal Party state director to suspend Ward from the party, when the MP was charged over historical allegations of sexual abuse of a man and a teenage boy.

Ward has been charged with sexual intercourse without consent, three counts of assault with act of indecency and one count of common assault. He has pleaded not guilty and strongly denied any wrongdoing. His trial is due to begin next year.

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman. Picture: Richard Dobson

However, while Coalition MPs were initially told not to talk to their former colleague, he is now back in the fold – after being re-elected as an independent. One Liberal tells me that Ward is like a “defacto member of the Coalition”.

He was a “VIP guest” at a meeting of the Liberal Party’s Berry Branch last year, and “warmly welcome” to attend any of that branch’s meetings.

He has also maintained a strong relationship with would-be Liberal Councillor Paul Ell, whose bid to run in this month’s local government elections was stymied by the Liberal Party’s nominations blunder.

Ward is also an active factional player in the party that suspended him two years ago.

Opposition leader Mark Speakman refused to comment on Ward’s latest incident on Thursday.

Dislike of Ward from Labor MPs, on the other hand, is palpable.

That comes right from the top. The Premier refuses to acknowledge Ward’s existence in question time, taking all of the independent MP’s questions “on notice”.

On Thursday, he even made a pointed quip about Ward’s behaviour: “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”.

Ward, who is legally blind, describing the comments as “cutting” and a “poor choice of words”.

The privileges committee will have a key choice to make when it investigates what happened in the early hours of Sunday July 21. Privacy of MPs is important, and their access to the building cannot be denied.

However, parliament needs to find a way to ensure that it is a workplace where appropriate behaviour can be maintained.