Convicted rapist Gareth Ward’s fate as Kiama Independent MP could be decided as early as Thursday after an urgent appeal was granted to the NSW Government.

The Leader of the Lower House, Ron Hoenig, and the Speaker, Greg Piper, will state their case to the Court of Appeal on Thursday morning after Ward’s lawyer, Peter King, sought an injunction on Monday to block attempts to expel him from NSW Parliament.

They were successful in their bid to have the matter brought forward from Friday due to the fact that Parliament is only sitting this week before breaking until next month.

If the injunction is lifted, Parliament is expected to vote on whether to expel the former Minister for Families, which they can do so under the NSW Constitution in order to protect the integrity of the Legislative Assembly.

However, if the Supreme Court does not lift the injunction, he could remain as Kiama’s MP until the next election in 2027 even if he remains in jail.

Ward, who has been relocated from Silverwater to Cessnock Correctional Centre, will be sentenced on 19 September after he was recently found guilty of sexual intercourse without consent and three counts of indecent assault at the conclusion of his nine-week trial in the NSW District Court.

The 44-year-old is still receiving his $3350 a week salary even after being found guilty of criminal offences and will keep being paid, even in jail, unless he is removed from Parliament.

"The issue is of considerable significance. The House needs to be able to make its judgement (about Ward's fate as a parliamentarian) to protect itself,” Hoenig told reporters on Tuesday.

Minns told 2GB Radio “clearly, he’s got no shame” while repeating his calls for Ward to resign while Opposition Leader Mark Speakman described his refusal to quit as "offensive".

A member of the Kiama community, Dominic Wall, has started a change.org petition to demand Ward’s resignation.

“In light of his recent conviction for indecent assault, it is clear that he is no longer fit to hold public office,” he wrote in the petition.

“His resignation is necessary to restore the integrity of our representation and protect the future of our community.

“Kiama deserves a representative who reflects our shared values and serves with integrity and transparency. The current situation damages our community’s credibility and risks setting a dangerous precedent for acceptable conduct in public life.”

Ward’s only public comment since his conviction was a statement released last Friday in which he said he has “provided instructions to my legal team to prepare an appeal at the earliest opportunity”.

He was charged by police three years ago after complaints against Ward from a man, aged 24 at the time, over an incident at Potts Point in Sydney’s east a decade ago.

Ward was also found guilty of indecently assaulting a recently turned 18-year-old at the politician’s Meroo Meadow home in 2013.

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National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028