Independent MP Alex Greenwich proceeds with defamation against One Nation’s Mark Latham over homophobic tweet

By TILEAH DOBSON

Independent MP Alex Greenwich is following through with his warning of launching defamation action against One Nation’s Mark Latham over his homophobic and graphic comments on social media.

Greenwich had warned Latham in early May that he would seek legal proceedings unless he issued an apology, giving Latham a deadline of 5pm 17th May.

Instead of apologising, Latham’s lawyers sent Greenwich an email stating that “they would not accept his offers to resolve the situation outside of court,” and claimed to have filed a counter-complaint against Greenwich.

Latham’s Counter-Complaint

Latham has stated that he’s asked the NSW Police to investigate Greenwich over his “menacing words” against him on social media.

“Alex Greenwich MP used his social media to attack all aspects of my life (as a human being) as extremely dangerous and disgusting. This was a reckless, ill-informed and malicious attack on everything I do: my love of my children, my sexuality, my work in the community in which I live and my role as a NSW parliamentarian,” he wrote on a Facebook post.

“Greenwich has built his political career around saying that ‘words have consequences’ and ‘words can cause violence’. By his own standards, he must take responsibility for menacing words that remain on his Facebook dent page.”

“Accordingly, I have today [17th May] reported these matters to the NSW Police urging an urgent investigation into the carriage service offences.”

“This is not a process I enter into lightly.”

After the deadline had passed and receiving the letter from Latham’s lawyers, Greenwich released a statement outlining that he has “instructed his lawyers to commence defamation proceedings, with the filing of a claim expected in the coming days.”

“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,” he 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.”

On top of the defamation proceedings, Greenwich has lodged a “complaint of homosexual vilification and sexual harassment against Mr Latham with Anti-Discrimination NSW.”

Anti-Discrimination NSW has confirmed its acceptance of the complaint for investigation.

The Tweet

The issue began back in March 2023 when Greenwich condemned Latham over the attacks on peaceful LGBTQ+ protestors by a large mob of around 250 far-right Christian men outside the St Michael’s Church in Belfield. Latham was due to give a speech there during the state election campaign.

The incident left a police officer injured and three people were arrested. In a response to an article that covered the incident, Greenwich called Latham a “disgusting human being.”

Latham responded in a graphic and homophobic tweet which the City Hub has chosen not to publish. He later deleted the tweet but has remained firm that he would not apologise, despite the massive backlash from across the political spectrum. 

Social media users have voiced their support to Greenwich’s legal proceedings against Latham, with one user writing that they hope Greenwich “takes Latham to the cleaners!”