Gareth Ward has reclaimed his state seat of Kiama, this time as an independent candidate, defeating Labor challenger Katelin McInerney.
Mr Ward re-entered parliamentary buildings this week, as the block on his entry expired with the previous parliament.
The new Premier did express the view that he would vote for a motion to expel the Kiama member from this parliament, then then Deputy Premier Prue Car suggested waiting for the end of vote count, and others have suggested that the matter should be referred to the Parliamentary Privileges Committee.
Gareth Ward is facing significant charges and is awaiting court procedural decisions. He is technically ‘charged’, and a key principle in law affords him the presumption of innocence until the legal processes determine otherwise.