NSW MP urged to resign from parliament immediately after new allegations emerge

NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro has called on MP Michael Johnsen to resign immediately after new allegations he offered to pay a sex worker to visit state parliament.

Mr Barilaro said he had contacted Mr Johnsen – who now sits as a crossbencher after quitting the Nationals – this morning and urged him to stand down from Parliament.

“Following reports this morning, I contacted Mr Johnsen to express the view that his position as a Member of Parliament is untenable,” Mr Barilaro said.

“This is disgusting behaviour and will never be acceptable, nor should it be, and I’m calling for Mr Johnsen to resign from Parliament immediately.”

Last week Mr Barilaro said that he had sought Mr Johnsen’s resignation from the Nationals and he had tendered it.

“It is now up to Mr Johnsen to reconsider his position as an independent Member of Parliament,” Mr Barilaro said today.

He allegedly sent the woman text messages and an obscene video while parliament was sitting.

It is the second allegation of sexual misconduct against Mr Johnsen.

Mr Johnsen resigned from his government role after it was revealed in Parliament police were investigating allegations he raped a sex worker in the Blue Mountains.

He has strenuously denied the allegations.

Ms Berejiklian told Ben Fordham on 2GB she first heard about the latest allegations today.

“If that is correct, I am absolutely disgusted, absolutely disgusted,” she said.

“When colleagues or former colleagues do that type of thing, it is beyond disgusting.”

Mr Johnsen will no longer sit in the Nationals party room nor the Coalition joint party room while the police investigation into the alleged rape is underway.