Disgraced Nationals MP Michael Johnsen resigns after sex scandals

Former Nationals MP Michael Johnsen has resigned from NSW parliament in the midst of a sex scandal, triggering a by-election within weeks.

Upper Hunter Nationals MP Michael Johnsen as accused of sexually assaulting a sex worker and suggesting a tryst in Parliament House

Former Nationals MP Michael Johnsen has resigned from NSW parliament in the midst of a sex scandal, triggering a by-election within weeks in the marginal seat of Upper Hunter.

Mr Johnsen’s resignation, after he was accused of sexually assaulting a sex worker after suggesting a tryst in Parliament House, has left Gladys Berejiklian reliant on the vote of John Sidoti, the former sports minister now facing a corruption probe, for a parliamentary majority.

Coalition strategists say the Upper Hunter contest — a date has not yet been set — will be a test for embattled Labor leader Jodi McKay, who has increasingly been at odds with unions.

Upper Hunter has been held by the Nationals party since its creation in 1932, but was only narrowly won by Mr Johnsen at the March 2019 election after a 4.9 per cent swing against him.

The Nationals recorded a 34 per cent primary vote, followed by Labor with 29 per cent and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers, who attracted 22 per cent.

Labor, the SFF and One Nation on Wednesday confirmed they would run in the electorate.

Mr Johnsen, in resigning his position after moving to the crossbench earlier in the week, said he “vehemently” denied the allegations made against him and described them as “devastating, unfair and unfounded”. “I will fight the allegation and expect to have my name cleared,” he said.

Mr Johnsen offered a sex worker $1000 to attend Parliament House for sex and sent her lurid messages and an explicit video after responding to an advertisement in August 2019.

The sex worker alleges he later sexually assaulted her at a secluded Blue Mountains lookout in September, claims that Mr Johnsen firmly denies. NSW police are investigating the allegations.

With union-commissioned polling suggesting Labor’s primary vote is languishing, the party is playing down its chances. “Never in 90 years has Labor won this seat. It will be a tough election,” Ms McKay said.

Coalition strategists on Wednesday said they would pitch the by-election as a test of Ms McKay’s leadership. “If she can’t win this seat, she can’t win government,” one official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.

Senior Labor figures also say a loss in Upper Hunter would be an indictment of Ms McKay’s leadership. “This is a must-win for Labor. This is a Nationals MP who just resigned in a sex scandal,” one Labor MP, who did not want to be named, said.

The Coalition has lost two regional seats in recent by-elections, including Wagga Wagga in 2018, held by the Liberal Party since 1957 but lost to an independent after Daryl Maguire resigned amid a corruption probe.

Shooters MP Mark Banasiak said the party already had two candidates in mind and was “raring to go”. “We only spent around $30,000 on that (2019) campaign,” Mr Banasiak said. “If the Nationals lose roughly 10 per cent (in a swing) … it essentially becomes a three- horse race.”

One Nation’s NSW leader, Mark Latham, confirmed his party would contest the election and said it would campaign on “core issues”, predominantly the preservation of mining jobs.

Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro said: “My message to the people of the Upper Hunter is I will always put integrity before politics, which is why I called for Mr Johnsen’s resignation.”

Government sources said Mr Johnsen had mulled over trying to remain in parliament while police conducted their probe, in part because of his financial position, but decided to resign after a terse exchange with Mr Barilaro on Tuesday evening.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Ms Berejiklian said: “I have not seen that statement but I am very relieved.”

Despite conceding his party might lose a by-election, Mr Barilaro labelled his former colleague’s position “untenable”, saying he would “rather do the right thing than worry about the majority in government.”

Blue Mountains MP Trish Doyle used parliamentary privilege last week to accuse a member of the government of raping a sex worker. Mr Johnsen outed himself as the MP in question hours later and quit the Nationals.