The NSW government will move to suspend former Liberal MP Gareth Ward from parliament after he was charged with the alleged sexual abuse of a teenage boy and a man.
Pressure mounted on NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet to act after the member for Kiama was on Tuesday charged with three counts of assault with an act of indecency, and one count each of sexual intercourse without consent and common assault.
NSW 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.
Mr Perrottet interrupted his paternity leave on Tuesday to call for Mr Ward's resignation, saying he would move to expel him if he refused to quit.
But Acting Premier Paul Toole on Wednesday told parliament that having received legal advice, the government would instead move for Mr Ward's suspension until a verdict was reached in the trial.
Mr Toole also moved the issue no longer be debated in the parliament "to ensure the alleged victims in this matter have their day in court".
The motion to suspend Mr Ward is expected to go to a vote on Thursday.
The government has also sought advice over whether Mr Ward's pay can be suspended.
Mr Toole reiterated the premier "wanted the member for Kiama to resign".
"We indicated as well that if he did not resign, we would remove him," he told reporters.
"Today that notice of motion that has gone to parliament is about those steps in suspending him.
"I don't want someone that's got serious allegations or serious charges that have been made against them to actually stand here in parliament."
Mr Toole said the government was looking into how to find representation for the people of Kiama, giving the example of caretaker MPs who stepped in when other members are unwell.
Opposition leader Chris Minns said the decision to suspend Mr Ward rather than expel him was a "rapid and major backdown from the NSW premier".
"This backdown means the people of Kiama will go without state representation for the next year - that is unacceptable," Mr Minns said.
Independent MP Alex Greenwich said removing an MP from the parliament was "extremely serious" and "extremely rare".
"It's critically important that nothing that parliament does in any way prejudices the trial," the Sydney MP told reporters.
He said victims "deserve the right to be heard and deserve a full and thorough process" but added "the parliament is not a court".
Mr Minns used question time on Wednesday to ask the acting premier if he was aware of any complaints about Mr Ward, including whether former premier Gladys Berejiklian's office received a complaint about the MP in 2020.
"The simple answer is no," Mr Toole said.
Labor MLC John Graham told the parliament on Wednesday the opposition would seek documents dating back to May 2021, when Mr Ward identified himself as the politician being investigated by NSW Police for "sexual violence-related offences".
Those documents include details about Mr Ward's visits to schools, possible workplace complaints and every meeting he'd held since police revealed their investigation.
Mr Ward has said he is "totally innocent of the charges brought against me" and intends to prove his innocence in court.
The MP's exit from parliament would trigger a by-election in his south coast seat, with the potential loss further weakening Mr Perrottet's minority government.
