An Australian politician and convicted rapist resigned from parliament before losing legal challenges to move on.
Gareth Ward, 44, was convicted last month of sexual assault by two young men aged 18 and 24 between 2013 and 2015 and is now ahead of the verdict.
Ward earlier this week filed a statutory bid to prevent the New South Wales (NSW) parliament from expelling him, but was dismissed on Thursday after the court refused to argue that the move was a “defection” against democracy.
When plans to evict him on Friday were thwarted, less than two hours after the evacuation of his vote, Ward withdrew from Kiama’s independent member.
Ward’s resignation letter was received at 09:08 local time on Friday (00:08 GMT), and soon, he was voted to be fired at 10:30.
His resignation – years after the sexual assault allegations first appeared, meaning Ward will no longer receive a parliamentary salary.
It also triggered a by-election that the Southern Voter Ward in South Wales has been here since 2011.
In 2021, Ward resigned as state minister and left the Liberal Party, but refused to leave parliament and was reelected in 2023.
In his legal challenge, Ward’s lawyers argued that trying to drive him out of parliament before the appeal process was completed was an “insult to the foundation of representing democracy.”
New South Wales Prime Minister Chris Minns told the media on Friday that Ward’s resignation “should come earlier”.
“If you are convicted on some of the worst charges – sexual assault in New South Wales – you will not be able to sit in Parliament’s salary as a member of the Parliament’s service.”
“How do you represent your community from prison?”
Opposition leader Mark Spokessman Mark Ward’s legal application to stay in parliament “Shameful” and accused former MPs of “playing games” with the public and parliament.
Ward, who will be sentenced next month, said he intends to appeal the guilty sentence.
