As a result, he remains, for now, the sitting Member for Kiama, while held in custody at Silverwater Jail.
This is not a technicality. This is not a procedural hiccup. This is unconscionable conduct.
A man convicted of serious sexual offences should not be representing any community from behind bars. And yet, here we are.
Let’s be honest about what’s happening. I do not believe Gareth Ward is doing this because he thinks he can carry out the duties of a Member of Parliament from a maximum-security prison. I believe his entire reason for holding on to his seat is so that he can access public funding to cover the cost of his appeal.
It is about protecting his entitlements. It is about staying on the payroll. It is about using the system, not serving the people.
If I am wrong, then let him explain how he plans to do the job. Let him show us how he will meet with constituents, attend community events, vote in Parliament, and represent the people of Kiama, all while being held in custody.
There’s a name for what we’re seeing. It’s a kind of dissociative denial. The ability to disconnect from what you’ve done and still see yourself as the victim. Gareth Ward has been convicted of serious crimes, and yet he’s fighting to stay in Parliament. Not to represent his community, but to preserve his power and entitlements. That isn’t leadership. It’s delusion.
This situation should not be up for debate. It should not require legal games or political hesitation. A man who has been found guilty of sexual violence should not be sitting in Parliament , whether or not he plans to appeal. Being in jail and being in Parliament are not compatible roles.
The people of Kiama deserve representation. Real representation. Not a legal fiction.
This is about the integrity of our institutions. It is about the message we send when we allow someone convicted of predatory crimes to retain a position of power, status, and influence.
Gareth Ward cannot represent this community from gaol.
And the fact that he is trying to do so should be a wake-up call to every voter, every politician, and every journalist watching this unfold.
It is time for Parliament to act.
#GarethWard #NSWPolitics #UnconscionableConduct #PublicAccountability #JusticeAndIntegrity #MPInCustody #NoRepresentationFromJail #TaxpayerMoneyMatters #KiamaDeservesBetter