Kiama MP Ward Resigns Before Historic NSW Expulsion Vote

Download IPFS

Gareth Ward, the independent Member of Parliament (MP) for Kiama, resigned from the New South Wales (NSW) Legislative Assembly on August 8, 2025, shortly before a scheduled vote that would have expelled him from parliament. His resignation marked the first time in more than a century that such an expulsion had been formally considered in the Legislative Assembly.

Ward was convicted in July 2025 of one count of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of indecent assault against two men in incidents that occurred in 2013 and 2015. He is currently being held at Cessnock prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 19, 2025. The resignation letter was received by Speaker Greg Piper at 9:08 a.m.

The resignation automatically triggered a by-election for the Kiama electorate. The date for the by-election has not yet been announced.

Prior to resigning, Ward had pursued legal avenues to prevent his expulsion. On August 5, 2025, he obtained a temporary injunction from Justice Deborah Sweeney that halted the Legislative Assembly’s proceedings. However, on August 7, 2025, the New South Wales Court of Appeal, led by Chief Justice Andrew Bell, dismissed Ward’s case. The court upheld the parliament’s authority under Section 13A of the NSW Constitution to expel members convicted of serious criminal offences.

In the court’s ruling, Chief Justice Bell stated that holding a by-election would restore representation for the Kiama electorate, which had been impacted by Ward’s status following his conviction.

Following the court decision, the Legislative Assembly was preparing to vote on Ward’s expulsion when his resignation was submitted. Leader of the House Ron Hoenig, Premier Chris Minns, and Opposition Leader Mark Speakman all issued statements noting the outcome and the procedural steps taken.

The Kiama by-election will determine a new representative for the electorate, allowing voters to elect a replacement to serve the remainder of the parliamentary term. This process is in line with NSW electoral law, which mandates a by-election when a seat becomes vacant during a term.

Ward’s case has drawn significant public and parliamentary attention due to both the nature of the offences and the rare circumstance of an expulsion motion being brought before the Legislative Assembly. The last time a member was expelled from the NSW parliament was in 1918.

With Ward’s resignation, the expulsion process concluded without a formal vote, and preparations for the by-election are now underway.