[1][2] In February 1858 he was elected to the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for New England and Macleay, defeating the sitting member Thomas Rusden.

[6][7][8] Moriarty resigned on 13 October 1858, denying the petitions played any part in his reasons, instead citing the financial difficulty of serving a far distant electorate.

[10] A month after resigning from parliament, he was appointed acting clerk of the Executive Council of New South Wales.

The money was instead paid into Moriarty's bank account and he was subsequently suspected of applying £771 to his private use in the months between receipt and payment into treasury.

In 1888 Parkes declined Moriarty's pleas to be re-appointed to the vacant office of Under Secretary for Lands.