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NSW MP Gareth Ward suspended from parliament

NSW MP Gareth Ward has been suspended from parliament with pay after he was charged over the alleged historical sexual abuse of a man and a teenage boy.

The NSW Government moved to suspend the Member for Kiama after Mr Ward refused to resign.

"It is, therefore, appropriate the member be suspended until criminal proceedings have been finalised," Acting Premier Paul Toole said today.

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NSW MP Gareth Ward has officially been suspended from parliament.

The motion passed the lower house without any opposition.

Mr Ward has been charged with three counts of assault with an act of indecency and one count each of sexual intercourse without consent and common assault.

Police will allege in court 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.

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Gareth Ward charged over historic sexual abuse allegations.

Mr Ward said he was "extremely disappointed" with the decision to suspend him.

"The Legislative Assembly of the Parliament has today taken the step of suspending me as a member based on allegations that I completely deny and that have yet to be tested in a court of law," Mr Ward said in the statement.

Mr Ward will defend the charges.

He will face Port Kembla Local Court in May.

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Two dead, two injured in car and motorbike crash near Port Stephens

Two people have died and another two are injured after a multi-vehicle crash in the NSW Hunter region this afternoon.

Police say a ute collided with a motorcycle and a station wagon which were travelling in the opposite direction.

The male motorcycle rider and the female wagon driver died at the scene and are yet to be formally identified.

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Tea Gardens crash two dead Pacific Highway NSW

The male driver of the ute has been taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

Northbound lanes of the Pacific Highway are closed, with a contraflow in place in one of the two southbound lanes.

The northbound lanes are expected to be closed for a significant period of time.

NSW Ambulance Inspector Skye Gordon said the scene was "horrific".

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Tea Gardens crash two dead Pacific Highway NSW

"This was an horrific scene for all involved with a number of people injured, unfortunately there was nothing we could do for two of the patients," she said.

"Thank you to the off duty paramedic who witnessed this shocking accident and didn't hesitate to rush and treat the patients before we arrived on scene.

"This is a reminder to the public about how dangerous the roads can be, especially when travelling in these wet weather conditions."

An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is underway.

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Six people charged over alleged cannabis cultivation and COVID-19 fraud

Six people, including three real estate agents, have been charged over a scheme where they allegedly pocketed more than $700,000 in COVID-19 rental relief payments and used rental properties as drug labs.

NSW Police arrested and charged six people yesterday aged between 23 and 52 as part of a year-long investigation into an alleged criminal syndicate operation to grow cannabis and fraudulently obtain COVID-19 rental relief payments.

Detective Inspector Luke Scott said police attended five Fairfield properties that had "sophisticated hydroponic cannabis set-ups" between July and August last year.

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Six people, including three real estate agents, have been charged over a scheme where they allegedly pocketed more than $700,000 in COVID-19 rental relief payments and used rental properties as drug labs.Six people, including three real estate agents, have been charged over a scheme where they allegedly pocketed more than $700,000 in COVID-19 rental relief payments and used rental properties as drug labs.

Police uncovered 598 cannabis plants which have an estimated street value of $2 million.

"We identified a real estate agency within the Fairfield area had been hiring or renting these properties enabling them to grow this cannabis," Detective Inspector Scott said.

Officers said the hydroponic setups have ruined the properties and they now "require complete fitouts".

Strike Force Delbo was established to dismantle this criminal syndicate.

Six people, including three real estate agents, have been charged over a scheme where they allegedly pocketed more than $700,000 in COVID-19 rental relief payments and used rental properties as drug labs.

During investigations, police also identified a number of large-scale fraudulent applications under the NSW Government COVID-19 Residential Tenancy Support Package scheme.

"We identified a number of the people associated with the real estate agency were committing criminal offences, not just the enhanced cultivation of cannabis but we uncovered a significant fraud against the COVID-19 grant scheme," Detective Inspector Scott said.

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Six people, including three real estate agents, have been charged over a scheme where they allegedly pocketed more than $700,000 in COVID-19 rental relief payments and used rental properties as drug labs.

Detective Inspector Scott said the group allegedly fraudulently obtained $700,000 worth of COVID-19 rental relief grants.

"None of that money went to the people that it was intended to, this real estate agency took that money for personal gain," he said.

"They were designed to help people in the time of need… to see a small group of people think it's alright to take advantage of the money we have given to our community members who are struggling, I'm absolutely disgusted."

Detective Inspector Scott said police will allege in court 160 separate properties had COVID-19 rental relief claims made for them.

"That means 160 different tenants had claims made on their behalf and they weren't even aware," he said.

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Six people, including three real estate agents, have been charged over a scheme where they allegedly pocketed more than $700,000 in COVID-19 rental relief payments and used rental properties as drug labs.

Five people, including a 52-year-old man, a 44-year-old man, two 35-year-old men, and a 37-year-old woman, were refused bail to appear at Fairfield Local Court today.

A 23-year-old man appeared at Newtown Local Court and was granted strict conditional bail to reappear at Fairfield Local Court in May.

"The nature of this fraud is particularly scandalous and predatory; the community won't tolerate it, and those involved now have our court system to answer to," Detective Inspector Scott said.