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ABC News
23-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Inside the quiet court room where NSW MP Gareth Ward is accused of sexual abuse
For two months, a sitting member of the NSW Parliament has been on trial, accused of sexually abusing two young men during his ascendancy to the halls of political power. Warning: This story contains details of alleged sexual abuse which may distress some readers. Gareth Ward has pleaded not guilty to five offences, including indecent assault and sexual intercourse without consent. The 44-year-old is the independent MP for the South Coast seat of Kiama, but he was once a key part of Gladys Berejiklian's Liberal ministry. Legal rules around protecting victims of sexual crimes meant for weeks the court was closed to the public as the complainants gave evidence. Even when the court reopened, there were few spectators watching the trial of the once high-profile political figure. Just the slow rhythm of legal argument unfolding in court — where a man who once held a child protection portfolio sits in the dock, accused of abusing his power behind closed doors. In court, one of his alleged victims described the feeling more starkly: "I felt basically a vampire was running the blood bank." As the jury retires, they will turn their attention to the issues of consent and power and decide whose evidence they choose to believe. The trial centres on two separate complainants. The first man, then 24, alleges Mr Ward sexually assaulted him at his Potts Point apartment in 2015 after drinks at Parliament House. The second man says he was 18 when Mr Ward invited him to his home at Meroo Meadow on the South Coast in 2013 and assaulted him while the complainant was drunk and pretending to be asleep on the lawn. He also alleges that later inside the house, Mr Ward straddled and gave him a massage. Mr Ward used alcohol, charm and authority to cross physical boundaries, the complainants argued. They told the jury they stayed in contact with the politician afterwards out of fear, shame and a desire to protect their careers. Mr Ward has denied the accusations levelled against him, claiming they either never occurred or did not amount to sexual abuse. The politician has not taken the stand to provide an alternate version of events and the jury was told he was under no obligation to do so. On his behalf, his legal team argued the accusations levelled against him were distorted by time and alcohol and could not be relied upon. The younger complainant told the court he was pretending to be passed out on the back lawn of Mr Ward's Meroo Meadow home in February 2013 when the politician first assaulted him. "I was thinking the prank was going well. I was about to say 'gotcha' and he put his hand down my pants," the man said. He said Mr Ward then moved his hand to the front of the complainant's shorts, briefly touching his genitals. The complainant said he then stood up and told Mr Ward he wanted to go to bed and started to walk into the house with the MP just behind him. He said, once inside, Mr Ward placed his hands on his shoulders and said he was "too drunk to sleep alone", guiding him to the bedroom. He said he lay facedown on the bed, trying to rationalise the situation as normal, despite feeling unable to say no. Soon after, he said, Mr Ward got on top of him, straddling his buttocks, and began massaging his lower back without asking. "He said he'd done a massage course," the complainant testified. He told the jury he eventually convinced Mr Ward to stop, and when he did, the complainant fell asleep. He left the house the next morning. He kept the incident a secret for years but broke his silence in 2020 when he discovered the then Liberal politician had been appointed minister for families, communities and disability services. The older complainant alleges Mr Ward assaulted him in 2015 after a night of drinks at NSW Parliament House. The political staffer, then 24, said Mr Ward offered him a bed at his Potts Point apartment, joined him uninvited, and sexually assaulted him. "I said no," he told the jury. The man said he felt pain and confusion as a result of the alleged assault, but maintained a friendship with the politician in the years that followed out of fear and pragmatism. The defence highlighted affectionate messages sent by the complainant after the alleged incident, including calling the MP "love", "pet" and "darl". But the man said he regularly used the terms, borrowed from a 1980s TV show starring Magda Szubanski, and they were intended to avoid tension. The defence questioned a key investigator, former Detective Senior Constable Cameron Bignell, about several inconsistencies in his investigation and lines of inquiry that were not pursued. The detective acknowledged there were aspects of the investigation he did not pursue because he "believed the victim" and parts that could have been handled differently. Throughout the trial, prosecutors have repeatedly returned to the theme of power: how a charismatic politician may have used influence to silence or disarm those around him. One friend of the older complainant told the court the man confided in him but was scared to report the incident. "He was worried he'd lose his job," the friend said. The trial heard from Kristo Langker, producer of friendlyjordies — a YouTube show about Australian culture and political issues. Mr Langker told the jury he met the younger complainant with host Jordan Shanks after they were contacted in late 2020. The court heard the complainant told them Mr Ward was "powerful" and that he was afraid to go to the police. They urged him to report it, saying it wasn't their "domain". Shortly after, the man also contacted ABC journalist, Gavin Coote, who testified the complainant disclosed an alleged assault that occurred when he was 18, but the journalist said he would not pick up the story. The trial was initially set to run for four weeks, but repeated delays have caused the case to run into a ninth week. On some days, the court has sat for just an hour before legal argument has pushed the jury out of the room. Another interruption came in mid-June, when a water main burst near the Downing Centre and flooded part of the 117-year-old building. From that point, the case was permanently relocated to Darlinghurst Court House and the aging infrastructure has caused continual interruptions for the endlessly accommodating judge. The court also lost some hours in the seventh week when one of the key police witnesses failed to return for cross examination. In closing submissions, the prosecution said Mr Ward had a "tendency" to be sexually interested in young, subordinate men, and to act on that interest. The prosecution argued both men independently came forward to share strikingly similar allegations of abuse. Both complainants described being assaulted in similar settings, the court heard, involving alcohol, a power imbalance, and late-night visits to Mr Ward's homes. Meanwhile, the defence argued that the allegations were shaped by the corrosive effects of time, alcohol, and memory reconstruction. Mr Ward's barrister David Campbell SC questioned inconsistencies in the complainants' accounts, including conflicting versions of key events, emotional states, and relationships and suggested the jury could not rely on recollections of nights described as heavily intoxicated. He argued the alleged incident at the Potts Point apartment did not happen and the complainant had likely fallen asleep in a suite at NSW Parliament after drinking at a parliamentary event. Mr Campbell told the court the alleged back massage at Mr Ward's South Coast home was not indecent, saying offering comfort in that way is not unusual or sexual. He noted the complainant was lying face down and said it was not unusual for Mr Ward's groin to be near him while straddling. He then questioned what was indecent or sexual about the contact given the circumstances. After nine weeks and 35 sitting days, Judge Kara Shead completed her directions, and the jury has started its deliberations in Gareth Ward's sexual assault trial. Thirteen jurors were empanelled at the start. One was excluded by ballot, a safeguard for the trial's expected length. Now, 12 will decide.
News.com.au
18-07-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
Men scared to accuse ‘powerful' MP Gareth Ward of sexual assault: court
A jury who have sat through the lengthy criminal trial of Kiama MP Gareth Ward have been invited to convict the 'powerful' politician on allegations he sexually abused two young men. Mr Ward, a NSW independent MP, was charged in March 2022 with three counts of assault with act of indecency, an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old man at Meroo Meadow in 2013, and intercourse without consent against a 24-year-old man in Potts Point in 2015. Since his arrest three years ago, the 43-year-old has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all counts. In Darlinghurst District Court on Friday, Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles continued her closing submissions and told the jury the two men had explained 'a number of reasons' as to why they did not complain about the allegations straight away. Both men gave evidence that the accused was a 'powerful' person and they were scared about what would happen if they came forward. The first complainant, a man who was 24 at the time of the alleged assault, said he took some time to come forward with the allegations as he was 'scared for his job', Ms Knowles reminded the jury. He did, however, allegedly mention to another parliamentary staffer words to the effect that then premier Gladys Berejiklian had selected a 'rapist', Mr Ward, as the minister for children in her cabinet in 2019. Meanwhile, the second complainant, a man who had just turned 18 at the time of the alleged assault, 'wrestled with going to police' because Mr Ward was 'a well-connected person', Ms Knowles told the court. 'There was an apprehension about going to police or media and it was because the accused was a powerful person … the accused was in a powerful role locally,' Ms Knowles said. Ms Knowles told the jury that either the second complainant was assaulted at Mr Ward's Potts Point apartment or he is 'the best guesser of all time'. She said if the alleged assault didn't happen, then the man had 'randomly but correctly guessed' details about Mr Ward's Potts Point apartment, including the building number, the view from the balcony and the specific bedroom he slept in. 'The Crown says he didn't guess any of these things, he knew them because they happened,' she said. 'After taking everything into account you would be satisfied of the charges beyond reasonable doubt. 'It's by no sheer chance or coincidence … I invite you to convict.' Mr Ward allegedly assaulted the man who had just turned 18 at his South Coast home in February 2013. It is also alleged the MP sexually assaulted the man who was 24 years old at the time at Mr Ward's Potts Point apartment in September 2015. Beginning his political career in 2011, Mr Ward was a councillor on the Shoalhaven Council before becoming the Liberal member for Kiama in 2011, a seat he has held since. The trial before a 13-person jury continues.
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Huge change to parking fines coming for millions of Australians: What you need to know
Ticketless parking fines are now officially banned in New South Wales. The system was first introduced in 2020 under former Liberal Premier Gladys Berejiklian, with more than a third of the state's 128 councils reportedly adopting the measure. However, in 2024, the Labor Government labelled ticketless parking fines as 'unfair' and took steps to overhaul the system, arguing that drivers were often fined without knowing, sometimes not receiving any notification until weeks after the offence. From July 1, councils will be required to issue on-the-spot paper tickets for parking violations, replacing the ticketless system that had caused fines to surge by nearly 50 per cent shortly after it was introduced. A physical ticket must be left on the vehicle, and a photo of the offence must be taken - unless it is unsafe for the officer to do so NSW Finance Minister Courtney Houssos said community feedback strongly supported the change, calling the return to ticketed fines a fairer and more transparent approach. 'No one likes getting a parking fine. Finding out about it two weeks later stings even more,' she said. 'Bringing back on-the-spot notification for parking fines is a common-sense reform and restores fairness and integrity to the parking fine system.' 'Motorists will once again benefit from on-the-spot notifications. New requirements that motorists are provided with photos of the offence will assist them if they wish to object to a fine,' Ms Houssos said. NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury praised the state government for sorting it out. 'Transparency matters. People deserve to know when and why they're being fined – and to have a fair chance to challenge if needed,' he said. 'The Government has worked through the issues, consulted widely, and come to an appropriate solution. Today is a great day for NSW motorists.'
The Guardian
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Former NSW MP Daryl Maguire found guilty of misleading corruption inquiry
Ex-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of misleading a corruption probe about benefits expected from a $48m property development sale. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney's Downing Centre Court for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan found Maguire misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Farnan rejected a bid by Maguire's legal team to suppress the publication of the guilty verdict. 'The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests,' she said. At Icac, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48m property development in Campsie in Sydney's south-west. Icac grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Icac opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Berejiklian in 2020. Berejiklian also stood down from her role and was later found by Icac to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
D-day for disgraced MP Daryl Maguire accused of misleading corruption probe over $48million property deal
Ex-Liberal MP Daryl Maguire has been found guilty of misleading a corruption probe about benefits expected from a $48million property development sale. The former member for Wagga Wagga, whose clandestine relationship with ex-NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian led to her political downfall, appeared at Sydney 's Downing Centre Courthouse for the verdict on Friday. Magistrate Clare Farnan found he misled the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption while giving evidence during a hearing in July 2018. Ms Farnan rejected a bid by Maguire's legal team to suppress the publication of the guilty verdict. 'The interests of the community in open justice is in my view not outweighed by Mr Maguire's interests,' she said. At ICAC, Maguire was asked about what he expected to get out of the sale of an estimated $48million property development in Campsie in Sydney's southwest. During the criminal hearing earlier in 2025, prosecutors claimed Maguire flipped during questioning over claims he was not expected to be reimbursed. ICAC grilled Maguire and others in 2018 under Operation Dasha, which probed allegations of corruption at the local council. The Wagga Wagga MP resigned from the Berejiklian government after giving evidence, before succumbing to pressure and quitting parliament altogether. ICAC opened a further probe into Maguire, exposing his secret romantic relationship with Ms Berejiklian in 2020. She also stood down from her role and was later found by ICAC to have breached public trust in failing to disclose the relationship, spanning at least five years while she was transport minister, treasurer and then premier.
