Former Liberal MP Gareth Ward has been suspended from the NSW parliament after he was charged with the sexual assault of a teenage boy and a man.
Police allege Mr Ward indecently assaulted a 17-year-old boy at Meroo Meadow in February 2013, and sexually abused a 27-year-old man in Sydney in September 2015.
Acting Premier Paul Toole on Thursday moved the motion to suspend the Kiama MP from parliament until the outcome of criminal proceedings is reached.
Mr Toole noted the now independent MP "had been charged with five criminal offences".
The motion received bipartisan support and was passed despite criticism from the Labor opposition.
Earlier on Thursday, Mr Toole said the government was waiting for legal advice on whether it was possible to stop Mr Ward's salary, but would move ahead with the motion to suspend him.
"We will continue to take ... action on his salary, his remuneration and his entitlements," he said.
"These sexual charges that have been made are quite serious.
"This is also about protecting those victims so they can have their day in court as well."
Mr Ward, who has repeatedly denied the allegations, said he had been suspended "based on allegations that I completely deny and that have yet to be tested in a court of law".
"I am extremely disappointed with that decision," he said in a statement on Thursday.
"The effect of the decision is that I am unable to speak and vote in parliament.
"I will, however, continue to represent and lobby for my local community as its democratically elected member of parliament.
"As challenging a time as this is for me personally, I have an important job to do and I intend to get on with it."
Thursday's vote came after NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet called for Mr Ward to resign or be expelled.
But the government soon after received legal advice an expulsion could jeopardise criminal proceedings.
Labor MP Ron Hoenig accused Mr Perrottet of failing to "protect the integrity" of the parliament by calling for Mr Ward's removal without having the authority to do so.
Mr Hoenig said "even a law student" could browse the Constitution of NSW and realise it was not possible to expel a member, and only a suspension was possible.
He accused Mr Perrottet of releasing media statements saying he would remove Mr Ward for political reasons.
"I was gobsmacked by the premier's approach," he told the parliament.
Opposition Leader Chris Minns said Labor was looking at other avenues to have Mr Ward expelled and to have his pay suspended, including through a referral to the parliamentary privileges committee.
He said when the premier announced the Kiama MP would be removed from parliament "it would be reasonable for most people to assume ... that that motion could have gone ahead".
"It seems clear now that that is not the case."
On Thursday, Kiama locals and members from the teachers, workers and rail unions gathered outside Mr Ward's electorate office to voice their disappointment about the situation.
"It is incredible at this point in time, with at least a year until the next election, the people of Kiama ... may be without a voice in parliament," Secretary of the South Coast Labour Council Arthur Rorris said.
