Page 6 - Michael Johnsen News Today

Ward says he will leave the Liberal party room while police investigate and he denies ‘any wrongdoing’

NSW MP under investigation for sexual violence allegation Share NSW Liberal MP Gareth Ward has moved to the crossbench as police investigate a sexual violence allegation against him. The Families Minister denied any wrongdoing on Thursday and said he had not been contacted by police. State Premier Gladys Berejiklian supported Mr Ward’s decision to step down and drop his ministerial portfolio. She confirmed she was only made aware of the allegations by media reports. “I have subsequently rec...

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she too was made aware of the allegations by the media on Thursday. "I have subsequently received advice from Minister Gareth Ward of his decision to step aside as minister and sit on the crossbench while there is speculation about his future," she said in a statement. "I support his decision." Attorney General Mark Speakman will take on Mr Wards portfolio responsibilities, which also include communities and disability services. Mr Ward was elected to parlia...

REPRESENTATIVE OF HOUSES Anthony Albanese has pledged $10 billion in his budget reply speech for a housing future fund aimed at delivering 20,000 social housing properties across its first five years, with the ABC explaining about 10,000 houses would be set aside for frontline workers and another 4000 for women and families escaping domestic violence. Returns from the fund would go towards maintaining homes in remote Indigenous communities, crisis accommodation, and specialist services for vet...

The NSW Families Minister has stood down after confirming he is under investigation by child abuse detectives over violent sex offences that allegedly occurred in 2013. Minister for Families, Gareth Ward, released a statement confirming hed stepped aside but denied any wrong doing.  Today I have been made aware by a journalist of an investigation into me by NSW Police, he said on Thursday evening. I have not been contacted by Police in relation to any allegations. I deny any wrongdoing. Unti...

Alongside pictures of premier Gladys Berejiklian and deputy premier John Barilaro – who was the first to call for his sacking – Mr Johnsen is promoting his services as a consultant with expertise in government relations and strategy, political monitoring and intelligence, advocating and influencing policy, and media and reputation management. Johnsen touts himself as having “achieved over $1.9bn in capital investments and $345m in community grants” during his 13 years in office. “Mich...

Michael Johnsen has second thoughts on his website We’re sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss Normal text size Former Nationals MP Michael Johnsen fired the start gun on a new career outside of politics over the weekend when he unveiled a new website spruiking his wares as a government and strategic advisor. Already, the shiny new website has undergone some big changes. A slew of photos originally posted online of the former MP standing alongside parl...

Advertisement Less than two months after quitting Parliament over sexual assault and sexting allegations, former Upper Hunter MP Michael Johnsen has unveiled his next project. He is spruiking himself as a government relations and strategy adviser. Michael Johnsen resigned in March amid sexual assault and sexting allegations Credit:Louise Kennerley A shiny new website for the venture called Johnsen Consulting popped up over the weekend, promising advice and advocacy across all levels of governm...

Advertisement The opposition benches were left empty for most of question time on Thursday after Labor MPs followed their leader Jodi McKay out of the chamber when she was expelled from the NSW lower house. In the latest chaotic scenes to erupt at State Parliament this week, Labor walked out en masse after Speaker Jonathan O’Dea kicked Ms McKay out of the house after she refused to follow his orders. The moment the opposition walked out of NSW Parliament following Labor Leader Jodi McKayâ...

Advertisement Coal mining companies in the Hunter Valley have failed to set aside enough money to fill in their massive voids or maintain the vegetation required to restore the landscape once their mines come to the end of their lives. Japanese trading giant Idemitsu has fallen well short in its efforts to replant pasture and woodlands on its Muswellbrook Coal mine in the Upper Hunter, with insufficient topsoil and a poor choice of species being replanted, a report obtained by the Herald shows...