NSW election: Bid to ban sex-charge MP Gareth Ward an ‘own-goal’

Both major parties want former Liberal minister Gareth Ward – who is fighting sex charge offences – to be banned from Parliament if elected. It hasn’t gone down well with locals.

Kiama independent candidate Gareth Ward. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A series of missteps by Dominic Perrottet and Chris Minns in the run-up to Saturday’s NSW election have helped push Kiama MP Gareth Ward – who is fighting unresolved sex charges – into a winning position.

The two leaders have pledged to bar the former Liberal minister from parliament if he wins, but that has antagonised many locals and will cause both men headaches if they need his support to form government in what looks increasingly likely to be a hung parliament.

Many voters in the south coast seat have expressed anger at being told by the major parties that their wishes will be ignored if they vote for Mr Ward, now running as an independent.

Senior figures in the Liberal Party – the most likely beneficiary of Mr Ward’s support in the event of a hung parliament – say the move has backfired

“Nobody likes being told what to do or who they can vote for, especially for a well-liked local candidate with a history of getting things done for his electorate,” one party stalwart said.

“The guy hasn’t been convicted of anything. This was a completely unnecessary own-goal.”

The Kiama born-and-bred Mr Ward was first elected in 2011 and is credited with securing large funding for projects like improvements to the Princes Highway in his electorate.

By contrast, his Liberal Party rival, Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons, was a last-minute candidate, announced only two weeks ago after failing to secure pre­selection for her own seat.

The Liberal Party had been seeking a local candidate in Kiama for months, but no one was prepared to take on Mr Ward, with local poet Gail Morgan forced out when it was revealed she’d promised Labor leader Mr Minns her vote.

Holsworthy MP Melanie Gibbons is running for the seat of Kiama in the upcoming state election. Picture: Richard Dobson

Ms Gibbons says Kiama is a “very easy drive” from her home 100km away in Woronora and has promised she will move if elected, but her unfamiliarity with the area will be a major drawback in her bid for the seat.

Labor’s Katelin McInerney says she is not daunted by Mr Ward’s popularity. “I think there is a mood for change in the hearts and minds of voters right up and down the electorate.,” she said.

“And while the current member and the Liberal government do like to run on their record of delivery, it’s certainly not what I’m hearing around the electorate, particularly in regard to local roads.”

Mr Ward holds Kiama on a 12 per cent margin, which he won as a Liberal candidate.

Betting agencies have him as the favourite, with Sportsbet paying $1.60 on a Ward victory, $3.25 on Ms Gibbons and $4.50 on Ms McInerney.

The TAB has similar odds.

Born with albinism and legally blind, the 42-year-old was the first disability minister in Australia to actually have a disability.

He was forced to resign in 2021 after being charged with sex offences, one alleged to be a 2013 incident involved a man who was then aged 25, the other an alleged 2015 incident involved a man who was then aged 17. Mr Ward strongly denies the allegations.

After he was charged, Mr Perrottet demanded he resign, then tried to have him expelled from parliament and to have his salary suspended.

Mr Ward resigned as minister and while he is suspended from parliament, he is unable to vote, debate and amend or create ­legislation.

Mr Perrottet said he would push for a fresh motion to suspend Mr Ward if he was re-elected. Mr Minns said he would not enter any deal with the MP even in the event of a hung parliament.

Mr Ward isn’t convinced that either would reject his support if they need it to form government.

“They’re saying that prior to the election, but I think after the election, like a lot of politicians they’ll quickly change their tune,” he said.

Mr Ward would not be drawn on which side he might support, saying his focus was on getting “the best possible outcome for my community”.