Mark Latham doubles down on homophobic tweet row

Mark Latham has broken his silence to say he will ‘never apologise, never explain’  after coming under intense criticism for a ‘homophobic’ tweet. 

NSW One Nation leader Latham objected to independent MP Alex Greenwich calling him ‘disgusting’ and wrote: ‘Disgusting? How does that compare with sticking your d*** up a bloke’s a*** and covering it with s***?’

His comment was met with widespread anger, with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson outlining her fury in a video and calling on him to apologise.

However, doubling down on his comments, Latham broke his silence on Friday with a bizarre message, linking to a 2019 article about Donald Trump on how leaders should ‘never apologise, never explain’. 

The row came after Greenwich attacked Latham for giving a speech to a church while Christian Lives Matter protesters allegedly clashed with LGBTQI demonstrators. 

Addressing the protest, Latham tweeted on Friday night: ‘Met an eyewitness from Battle of Belfield last night who explained that the gay/trans mob had been protesting against that church for 15 years.

Mark Latham’s comment was met with widespread anger, with One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (pictured) revealing her fury in a video and calling on him to apologise

‘Some parishioners snapped when they saw the broken crucifix and attempts to burn it. Enough was enough. Why hasn’t this been reported?  

‘Doesn’t fit the narrative.’ 

He made no reference to his future in One Nation and it is unclear if he has spoken to Ms Hanson. 

Senator Hanson said on Thursday night that she’d tried calling the firebrand MP a few times to ask him to issue a public apology but he had not responded.

‘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,’ she said.

‘I’ve asked him to give the people an apology. I will leave it at that. It is now over to Mark to answer to the people.’

There are calls for Latham to be removed from the party and others for him to step down from his role in NSW Parliament altogether. 

Mark Latham celebrated Trump’s election victory in 2016 by wearing a MAGA hat on breakfast television (pictured). He channeled the former President in a tweet repeating a motto of Donald Trump (pictured): Never apologise, never explain

But even should he ditch One Nation – a big call – Latham no longer needs the support or backing of his party. 

Last Saturday, he was re-elected into the upper house for the next eight years, on a salary worth an estimated $170,000. 

He could opt to leave the party and serve the remainder of his term – until 2031 – as an independent, having been guaranteed a job in parliament until he is 70 years old.

NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe is leading the calls for Latham’s resignation,  revealing she found his comments ‘quite difficult to see’.

‘What he did was really quite abhorrent. I haven’t seen that kind of language for a long time,’ she said.

‘It really does have an impact on the community, including even on people like me, I found it really quite difficult to see that yesterday.’

Responding to the row, Mr Greenwich said he’s not expecting an apology for the abhorrent comments.

‘For those wondering how I’m doing after Latham’s homophobic attacks today, I’m fine and I’m more motivated than ever to deliver long overdue LGBTIQA+ reforms,’ he said.

‘And I have the most handsome husband.’

He’s been commended for the classy response he provided to the vile tweet. 

There are calls for Latham to be removed from the party and others for him to step down from his role in NSW Parliament altogether

Alex Greenwich has been commended for the classy response he provided to the vile tweet. Mr Greenwich said he also does not expect any recourse in the NSW Parliament

Mr Greenwich said he also does not expect any recourse in the NSW Parliament. 

Andrew Bolt launched a scathing attack on Latham over his homophobic tweet, noting that a longtime senior adviser to Ms Hanson is gay.

The conservative commentator unleashed on the NSW One Nation leader during his Sky News Australia program on Thursday evening, saying Latham’s controversial tweet was something ‘a scumbag’ would write. 

‘Latham this morning put out a tweet so disgusting that even he felt ashamed and eventually deleted it, but much too late,’ Bolt said. 

‘This tweet was so disgusting, so homophobic and so vile in a pornographic way that I cannot even hint at what he said about a gay politician, Alex Greenwich.  

‘It was the kind of thing a scumbag would write.’ 

The Sky News host pointed out that Latham’s behaviour was a ‘real problem’ for senator Hanson and her party.

‘Latham taints her. She has tried to rein him in, but now this,’ Bolt said.

‘Does Latham know that Hanson’s closest advisor for years, a top bloke, is himself gay?’

Bolt was referring to James Ashby, who has worked as Hanson’s chief-of-staff for more than seven years.