NSW Families Minister Gareth Ward has hastily departed the Berejiklian government after police began investigating sexual violence allegations against him.
While denying any wrongdoing, Mr Ward yesterday confirmed he was under investigation by the NSW Child Abuse & Sex Crimes Squad. He is now sitting on the cross benches as an independent awaiting the outcome.
- Mr Ward is being investigated by the NSW Child Abuse & Sex Crimes Squad.
- The 39yo member of the Liberal's moderate faction is unmarried and has no children.
- The complaint was made by an adult. Mr Ward denies any wrongdoing.
He has also stepped aside from his ministerial duties.
Mr Ward has a colourful history.
In August 2017 he made headlines after being involved in a “special massage” incident at a New York hotel.
MASSAGE
According to the New York Post, Mr Ward had been caught up in a massage scam with two men demanding he pay them $US1000.
At the time, New York media reported that Mr Ward had placed a call from his hotel room asking for a “special massage” after a referral by an acquaintance. Mr Ward denied he requested a “special” massage.
Then, in 2020, he was twice caught naked and disoriented wandering outside his apartment block in Sydney. He wasn’t charged over these incidents.
The 39-year-old member of the Liberal’s NSW “moderate” faction is unmarried and has no children.
Despite his chequered past, Mr Ward was given charge of more than 15,000 of the State’s most vulnerable children as Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services.
According to reports in The Australian newspaper, police have confirmed that allegations against Mr Ward dating from 2013 to 2015 were brought to their attention earlier this year.
A sex crimes strike force had been formed “to investigate allegations of sexual violence-related offences against a 39-year-old man”, police said.
COMPLAINT
It is understood that the complaint was made by an adult.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph newspaper has reported that the alleged offences occurred in a hotel room prior to Mr Ward’s appointment to the families portfolio.
Mr Ward has denied any wrongdoing.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said this morning that the reports were both “shocking and distressing”.
“I think all of us were incredibly shocked and distressed,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“What transpired yesterday afternoon was extremely concerning and distressing.
“Mr Ward has done the right thing in stepping aside from his ministry and obviously the Liberal party room,” she said.
“As I understand it, he has not been contacted by police and the extent of any allegations are unknown.”
She said she had spoken to Mr Ward after the report and he had denied any wrongdoing.
“That is a matter that will unfold in the coming days,” Mrs Berejiklian said.
“I don’t want to question what the motive is. What we know is that there is a police investigation, police know how to handle these matters and I don’t want to interfere in those processes,” she said.
Mr Ward’s departure to the cross benches leaves Ms Berejiklian in minority government regardless of the result of next weekend’s Upper Hunter by-election.PC
Unfortunately, he’s not the only gay in the “Liberal” village…
It reminds me of Australian comedy “Some Mother’s Have Them”, how many more LINO’s (Liberal In Name Only) could they possibly have?.
I know the US Republican Party have started to remove their RINOs.