Lucy Wicks has broken her silence after a months-long investigation into her Upper House MP ex-lover’s conduct and a series of abusive texts he sent.
Taylor Martin was dumped from the Liberal Party during a Friday evening meeting with NSW state executive members after an external investigation into his behaviour.
Ms Wicks, the former federal MP for the NSW Central Coast seat of Robertson, made a confidential complaint in July 2023 about a series of text messages she’d received from Mr Martin over a sustained period of time, which she said amounted to harassment.
In the messages, which he admitted were ‘ugly’, Mr Martin called Ms Wicks a ‘f***ing idiot’, a ‘dumb s***’, a ‘sicko’, an ‘absolute c*** of a person’ and a ‘f***ing pig ignorant b***h’.
The investigation took nine months to complete and was marred by delays and scandal, including the revelation that Mr Martin was still welcomed at crucial NSW Liberal state council meetings.
Ms Wicks, the former federal MP for the NSW Central Coast seat of Robertson, made a confidential complaint in July 2023 about a series of text messages she’d received from Mr Martin over a sustained period of time, which she said amounted to harassment
Taylor Martin MLC was stood down from the NSW Liberal parliamentary party room back in July amid uproar over text messages he sent to former MP Lucy Wicks. He has since been expelled
But ultimately, it was determined Mr Martin had engaged in ‘abusive conduct’ and he was expelled from the Liberal Party on April 19, but will sit on the cross bench for the remainder of his term.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Tuesday, Ms Wicks said she felt she ‘never stood a chance’ after she was outed as the complainant in the media without her consent.
‘I felt so violated and degraded,’ she said.
‘Then a vile smear campaign ran immediately off the back of it.’
Reports at the time suggested Ms Wicks had started an affair with Mr Martin while he was a young staffer in her office – and while she was married.
It’s understood her relationship with Mr Martin didn’t begin until 2017 – the same year he was elected to parliament, and after Ms Wicks’ marriage had ended.
Ms Wicks feared speaking out would ruin her own career and reputation. Mr Martin had the strong backing of the centre right contingent of the Liberal party.
Mr Martin publicly apologised for a series of text messages he sent Ms Wicks during that period calling her a ‘dumb s***’ and a ‘f***ing pig’
‘Living under the threat of… professional defilement and reputational harm was beyond terrifying,’ she said.
She knew that speaking up could ‘cost her almost everything – including financial security’.
‘This a big reason why when victims speak up – you should always believe them. Speaking up is often harder than staying silent, because of the retribution that too often follows,’ she said.
‘That terror, that fear – that overwhelming sense of impending dread that you learn to live with day after day and month after month – is what so many other women face when experiencing the insidious and often hidden impact of abuse.’
Daily Mail Australia revealed in March that Ms Wicks began receiving threatening anonymous letters to her new place of work after she was publicly identified as the complainant.
Mr Martin bombarded Ms Wicks with a series of ‘ugly’ text messages after their romantic relationship ended, calling her a ‘f***ing idiot’, a ‘dumb s***’, a ‘sicko’, an ‘absolute c*** of a person’ and a ‘f***ing pig ignorant b***h’
One letter falsely claimed there was ‘X rated’ content of her ‘on the dark web’.
‘Can’t wait to see this surface on the media (sic),’ the letter continued.
At least three letters were referred to police for investigation, each of them typed and printed.
A source with knowledge of the incident said ‘you could tell it was with a purpose to scare or intimidate her. Someone wanted to denigrate her’.
There is no suggestion Mr Martin had anything to do with those letters.
‘Speaking has cost me almost everything. But through it, I’ve got my voice back, my sense of safety and wellbeing back,’ Ms Wicks said.
She’s also rediscovered her determination to ‘drive real change to make a difference’.
‘I’ve lived through and had to confront some horrible threats, move through crippling fear, learn to stand up in the face of overwhelming terror, and remain determined to still serve my community in whatever capacity I can, even through this vile degrading smear campaign,’ she said.
‘But it’s also increased my grit, resilience, empathy and ability to hear the unspoken pain of others.’
Ms Wicks hopes her experience and the outcome of the investigation will encourage women who may find themselves in a similar position.
‘It can happen to anyone,’ she said. ‘It is not your fault.
‘Trust yourself. Trust your instincts and that others will believe you if you do speak up.’
She is still weighing up whether she should attempt to run again in the 2025 federal election.
The report’s findings were released to the party months after Mr Martin’s new wife Brittany walked out on their marriage.
Daily Mail Australia revealed NSW Member of the Legislative Council Taylor Martin married his girlfriend Brittany in a luxurious ceremony at the Grounds of Alexandria in December, only for her to leave the relationship several weeks later following an altercation