Former minister Gareth Ward, who has professed his innocence, has already been suspended from parliament
government has been told it cannot strip suspended MP Gareth Ward of his pay, staff or other entitlements without enacting new legislation, a step it should not take because it “may be vulnerable to legal challenge”.after he was charged over allegations of sexual abuse against a man and a 17-year-old boy. The suspension came after legal advice found the government could not expel Ward from the parliament.
That committee has now recommended the government should not take any steps to restrict Ward of his pay and entitlements, and that it does not have the power to stop him from acting as an MP. “Accordingly, it is arguable that such a law is inconsistent with the system of representative government that, according to case law, the commonwealth constitution assumes to exist in the states,” the report stated.
Ward was not present at his first court appearance last week, instead posting photos of himself meeting with constituents in his electorate.Sign up to receive an email with the top stories from Guardian Australia every morning
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