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Australian MP convicted of rape refuses to resign despite mounting pressure
Sydney, August 6, 2025 – Gareth Ward, an independent member of the New South Wales Parliament in Australia, has been convicted of rape and sexual assault, but continues to refuse to step down from his position. The 44-year-old MP, who represented the coastal town of Kiama since 2011, is currently being held in pre-trial detention at Silverwater prison, awaiting sentencing scheduled for September.
Ward was found guilty in July of assaulting two young men, aged 18 and 24, at his home between 2013 and 2015. Following the verdict, both the government and opposition leaders called for his immediate resignation. However, Ward has resisted, prompting the state parliament to initiate formal expulsion procedures.
His legal team has successfully obtained a Supreme Court injunction that temporarily blocks the parliamentary process. Meanwhile, Ward is reportedly preparing an appeal with his lawyers from his prison cell.
The refusal to resign has triggered public and political outrage. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns strongly criticized Ward, stating in a local radio interview: “He has no shame.” He emphasized that a convicted sex offender should not continue to hold public office or receive a parliamentary salary.
Mark Speakman, leader of the Liberal Party in the state and Ward’s former colleague, added: “Every day he clings to that seat, it’s the taxpayers who are paying for it.”
In response, the government has called for an urgent Supreme Court hearing, scheduled for Friday, August 8, to resolve the impasse. If expelled, a by-election would be held in Kiama in the following weeks.
This is not the first time the parliament has attempted to expel Ward. A similar effort was considered in 2021 when the allegations first surfaced, but it was postponed to avoid influencing the legal proceedings. Ward resigned from his ministerial role and left the Liberal Party but was re-elected as an independent MP in 2023.