A rapist and bully but beloved by Boomers: The turbulent history of Gareth Ward
'What is wrong with my community,' Dezarnaulds asked, 'when multiple victims of sexual assault are disbelieved by half our residents? What is wrong with my community when having a member who is unable to enter their place of work or cast a vote on our behalf is good enough for half of our residents?' Dezarnaulds was referring to the now convicted rapist and former MP Gareth Ward.
Ward re-contested Kiama as an independent after being forced to quit the Liberal Party in 2021 and move to the crossbench while he awaited his trial for historical sexual assault charges. For almost two years, he was barred from parliament after a successful suspension motion, and while his margin in the once-safe seat was slashed in 2023, he was returned as the MP for Kiama.
The response to Dezarnaulds' post was swift, but not from Kiama voters. Rather, Ward called in RMB Lawyers, his go-to firm on the South Coast when people dared to criticise him. Ward threatened to sue Dezarnaulds for defamation.
Dezarnaulds printed the apology demanded from Ward's lawyers, insisting she did not intend to suggest he was guilty of anything. Dezarnaulds went on to contest the May federal election as a Climate 200-backed independent in the seat of Gilmore. Ward continued his attacks on her during the election campaign, including lodging a complaint with the Australian Electoral Commission about her how-to-vote cards. The commission took no action.
RMB Lawyers, by all accounts, has done well thanks to Ward's litigious streak. Dezarnaulds estimates he has sent concerns notices, the first step in signalling defamation proceedings, to dozens of people across the South Coast. In one case, he threatened to sue former Greens candidate and academic Tonia Gray.
Gray did not want to comment, preferring to never think about Ward again. But after his conviction for the indecent and sexual assault of two young men, and his subsequent refusal to resign from parliament, Gray posted on Facebook: 'I'm speechless about the audacity of this man. We know he is a bully, we have been on the receiving end of his attacks.'
(The Herald also received a concerns notice from Ward via RMB Lawyers after writing that he had made calls supporting the preselection of his friend and ex-Liberal colleague Rory Amon ahead of the 2023 election. Amon's political career ended up being short-lived, and he has since quit parliament after being charged with child sexual assault, which he denies. Ward's legal threat against the Herald went nowhere.)
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