New South Wales MP Alex Greenwich will launch defamation proceedings against Mark Latham after the state One Nation leader refused to publicly apologise for a homophobic tweet he posted in March.
The independent Sydney MP has also lodged a complaint of homosexual vilification and sexual harassment against Latham and a police complaint.
“This is not a process I enter into lightly, and a process I wish I didn’t have to engage in. However, Mr Latham’s homophobic, sexualised attack has exposed me to contempt, ridicule and extreme abuse, based on my sexuality, and demands actions,” Greenwich said.
“It’s 2023 and LGBTQIA+ Australians shouldn’t have to put up with abuse that targets our sexuality, character, or ability to do our jobs.”
The initial tweet, sent in March, attracted widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum, including from the premier, Chris Minns, who labelled Latham a bigot.
Earlier this month, Greenwich gave Latham a 17 May deadline to apologise for the tweet and commit to never making such comments again, warning that if the deadline was not met, he would face defamation action in which “maximum damages” would be sought.
On Wednesday, Latham’s lawyers wrote to Greenwich’s saying “they would not accept his offers to resolve the situation outside of court”, according to a spokesperson for Greenwich.
Greenwich then asked Dowson Turco Lawyers to commence defamation proceedings.
Latham deleted the initial tweet which was made in response to an article in which Greenwich called him “a disgusting human being”. The article was about LGBTQ+ protesters being targeted outside an event Latham spoke at earlier this month.
In response, Latham said “disgusting?”, and then went on to make gratuitous comments about a sexual act. Guardian Australia has chosen not to publish the full comment.
In April Latham doubled down with a lengthy online radio interview in which he repeated his comments and has refused to apologise.
When the tweet was first published, federal One Nation leader Pauline Hanson called on Latham to apologise and said she had tried to call him but could not get through.
“I’ve actually tried to ring Mark a couple of times, to no avail, and I have clearly sent a text message to him telling him my views and also I’ve asked him to give the people an apology,” she said.
“I will leave it at that. It is now over to Mark to answer the people.”
However, she has since told the Sydney Morning Herald that Latham was “doing an excellent job”.
“He’s got an eight-year term. So all I expect of Mark is to do the job that he’s been doing for the last four years and represent the people of NSW to the best of his ability and be that voice,” Hanson said.
She said his conduct was “inappropriate” but that it was “it is not up to me to apologise for him”.
Latham has been approached for comment.
