The latest scandal about allegedly being at state parliament in his undies at 4am isn't likely to do NSW independent MP Gareth Ward much harm - the guy is a survivor.
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The Kiama MP can make the headlines for all the wrong reasons sometimes and yet none of those instances drew the curtains on his political career.
He is facing historical allegations of sexual violence-related offences; allegations that have been in the public domain since May 2021.
He has always strongly refuted those claims and is still waiting for his day in court.
Despite the Kiama electorate knowing about those charges hanging over his head, they still re-elected him last year - albeit on a substantially reduced margin.
Either way, facing those charges should have seen a line drawn through Mr Ward's chances - but he is still the member for Kiama.
Indeed, during the election campaign there were those in his former Liberal party who couldn't entertain the possibility that Mr Ward might actually win.
The latest scandal involves Mr Ward allegedly trying to get into Parliament House at around 4am on July 21 wearing nothing more than a T-shirt, underwear and socks, according to a parliamentary report.
There had been rumours about it circulating in parliament - but rumours always circulate in parliament - though there was confirmation of the incident when a Sydney newspaper reported on it.
There is dispute about his attire; a jumper and boxer shorts have also been mentioned.
There is no disputing that Mr Ward was there in the small hours because CCTV footage showed him at the parliamentary entrance.
Mr Ward had said he was asleep in his apartment nearby when he heard a noise and went to investigate. Then ended up locking himself out.
"Given it was freezing at around 4am in July, with no prospect of getting a locksmith, not having my phone and with my property around eight minutes' walk/jog to parliament, I went to parliament to get my spare key," Mr Ward said in a statement.
Given that Mr Ward is legally blind, to be able to make it to Parliament House at 4am is a pretty handy feat - regardless of what he was wearing.
He refuted any suggestion he was drunk at the time and branded the coverage as "gutter journalism that sees faith in some journalists fall to an all-time low".
It's not the first time Mr Ward has been outside his apartment in various states of undress. In 2020 police were called to his Potts Point unit after receiving calls of a naked man walking the halls.
They found Mr Ward, took him back to his apartment, only to be called back when he was out again, this time in boxer shorts.
Mr Ward said it was a reaction to having been placed under general anaesthetic for a medical procedure earlier that day.
In both cases it's fair to say that a person getting out of bed in the middle of the night is hardly going to be fully dressed.
The 2020 incident was embarrassing more than anything but again did not seem to have any impact on his career. A month later he was sworn in as Families, Communities and Disabilities Services Minister in Gladys Berejiklian's government.
In 2017 there was a drama in New York where Mr Ward had requested a massage in his hotel room only to have two men arrive and try to blackmail him.
Reports called it a "special massage" while Mr Ward insisted it was your ordinary garden variety massage.
Not that it matters either way - he was on his own time and wasn't doing anything wrong, so who cares?
The electorate sure didn't - two years later they voted him in again.
And it's likely this latest incident at Parliament House won't matter either.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
