Former New South Wales Coalition minister Gareth Ward will contest the March election as an independent before historical sexual abuse charges against him are resolved, after a pre-trial hearing was delayed until April.
The Kiama MP is facing charges of alleged sexual abuse against a man and 17-year-old boy dating back several years.
He was suspended from parliament last year after being charged, but announced recently his intention to contest the election as an independent.
Ward has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent, three counts of indecent assault and one count of common assault.
The charges relate to two separate incidents; the alleged indecent assault of a 17-year-old boy at Meroo Meadow in Shoalhaven in February 2013 and alleged sexual abuse of a 27-year-old man in Sydney in September 2015.
Ward, a former Liberal MP, had been due to appear the NSW district court on Monday for a pre-trial hearing to determine whether the two charges would be tried separately.
But that hearing has now been delayed until 3 April, meaning any trial over the matter will not be heard until after voting on 25 March.
A spokesperson for the Department of Public Prosecutions said the matter was relisted after an application by Ward’s lawyers.
Despite calls to resign from the premier, Dominic Perrottet, Ward continued working as an MP after his suspension from parliament.
He issued a statement saying his “experience will eventually serve as a reminder of why a person is innocent until proven otherwise”.
“I’m proud of my record and I am determined to ensure our community is never taken for granted,” he said in a statement.
“Whatever the outcome of this election, the people always get it right.”
A key ally of former premier Gladys Berejiklian, Ward previously served as the state’s families and communities minister before moving to the crossbench after he revealed he was the subject of a police investigation.
After he was charged the government initially pushed for an expulsion motion which would have seen him ejected from parliament, but backed down after it received legal advice suggesting such a move could prejudice a criminal trial.
It instead moved the motion to suspend Ward, which was supported by the opposition, meaning he retained his salary.
