Gareth Ward Leaves Australian Parliament After Verdict

• Gareth Ward left the parliament ahead of voting on his expulsion.
• He was found guilty of sexual offenses and is awaiting the verdict.
• Ward's departure is due to the ongoing interim elections.

Gareth Ward, a 44-year-old independent member of the New South Wales Parliament, submitted his resignation on Friday, less than two years after being voted out for his expulsion from parliament. This occurred after he lost a court case that aimed to prevent his expulsion.

Ward was found guilty of sexual offenses against two young men that occurred between 2013 and 2015. Currently, he is under police protection awaiting a verdict that is scheduled for November.

Earlier this week, Ward attempted to challenge the parliament's decision regarding his expulsion, but his arguments were dismissed by the court. As a result, when the deputies were preparing to vote, he decided to keep his position, which leads to the ongoing interim elections in his district, where he has been serving since 2011.

In 2021, Ward left the position of minister and the Liberal Party, but he continued to remain in parliament, and he was re-elected in 2023, regardless of the allegations.

Ward was charged with sexual assault against a political worker in 2015 and for abusing an 18-year-old boy in 2013. After his resignation, he will not receive a salary.

The court case, in which he attempted to challenge his expulsion, was characterized as an attempt to undermine the foundations of representative democracy. Ward intends to challenge the verdict.

Tags: Politics/Crime