NSW Premier Chris Minns has criticised independent MP Gareth Ward for showing up at parliament in a state of undress at 4am on a Sunday in July, describing the visit as a workplace safety issue and urging parliamentary officeholders to explain what happened.
On Wednesday, The Daily Telegraph reported on the existence of a parliamentary security report which alleged Ward, the independent Kiama MP, had arrived at parliament early on July 21 wearing a “T-shirt, underwear and socks” and with a gash on his head.
—-
In September 2017 Ward claimed to have been the target of an attempted mugging in New York City while staying at the Intercontinental Hotel.[18]
Ward claimed to have booked a male masseur for a massage, which was reported as a "special massage". In conflicting reports, it was claimed he "called a phone number provided by an acquaintance",[19] but others maintained that he ordered "the massage online from an outside service".[20]
When two men turned up and announced that both of them were minors, Ward told them to leave. He then claimed the duo became aggressive and demanded US$1000 before they would leave. While luring the men down to the lobby under the guise of retrieving money from an ATM, Ward alerted hotel staff and the men fled. CCTV images were circulated but no arrests have been made.[21]
In September 2018 Ward was described in federal parliament by his fellow Liberal colleague, Ann Sudmalis, as leading a campaign of "bullying, betrayal and backstabbing" against her while she was a representative.
The allegations were expanded to include branch stacking of local Liberal branches, and installing people hostile to Sudmalis on her electoral committee.
She described his determination as to "annihilate anyone who opposed him" with his motivation being "Gareth's narcissistic revenge". Sudmalis went on to accuse him of misogynistic behaviour and raised several examples of where he had actively opposed and campaigned against female Liberals on the South Coast.[22]
Gareth Ward says he turned up to parliament just after 4am after locking himself out of his apartment. A report alleges he was in a “T-shirt, underwear, (and) socks,” had a gashed head and smelled of alcohol. He denies being drunk
State MP Gareth Ward turned up to parliament just after 4am on a Sunday morning wearing a “T-shirt, underwear, (and) socks,” with a gash on his head and smelling of alcohol, according to a secret security report – with Mr Ward claiming he walked to get a spare key after locking himself out of his apartment, and denying he was drunk.
NSW MP Gareth Ward ‘turned up to parliament in socks, jocks’, security report says
Jack Newman
NSW MP Gareth Ward turned up to parliament at 4am on a Sunday morning wearing just a ‘T-shirt, underwear, socks’ and smelling of alcohol, a security report has claimed.
NSW MP Gareth Ward turned up to parliament at 4am on a Sunday morning wearing just a “T-shirt, underwear, socks” and smelling of alcohol, a security report has claimed
Mr Ward allegedly tried to enter the building on July 21 without his parliamentary pass and with a gash on his head claiming he had locked himself out of his apartment.
The independent Kiama MP, who is separately awaiting trial for sex offences, said he was sober and came to parliament after hearing a noise in the night and stepped out of his Potts Point apartment without his keys.
A months-long investigation was carried out and a top-secret security report seen by The Daily Telegraph has been provided to parliamentary officials.
The report said NSW Police Special Constables responded to a call from the back gate where they saw Mr Ward attempting to gain access to the building without a pass.
The MP initially said he had “gone for a run” and was then let in the building,
In a subsequent statement, he said he jogged eight minutes from his home to parliament to pick up a spare key after locking himself out when investigating a noise at the back of his apartment,
The former families minister said in a statement he was not drunk, adding: “This is this sort of gutter journalism that sees faith in some journalists fall to an all-time low.”
It is not the first time Mr Ward has been caught in a state of undress outside, having been escorted home in 2020 after being found naked in someone’s doorway.
He said at the time he had been in hospital under general anaesthetic and reacted to the medication when asleep.
Mr Ward will go on trial next year accused of sexual intercourse without consent, three counts of indecent assault and one of common assault over two alleged incidents in Sydney and Shoalhaven.
The former Liberal was suspended in parliament in 2022 over the charges but was narrowly re-elected as an independent MP the following year.
NSW MP Gareth Ward has denied being drunk when he showed up at Parliament House at 4am on a Sunday morning in July, saying he had locked himself out of his apartment in the early hours of the morning and had come to the building to get a spare pair of keys.
On Wednesday, The Daily Telegraph reported on the existence of a parliamentary security report which alleged Ward, the independent Kiama MP, had arrived at parliament early on July 21 wearing a “T-shirt, underwear and socks” and had a gash on his head.
In 2020 Ward, then the minister for families and communities, had to be escorted home by police twice after he was found sleepwalking following surgery.
