Latham's bill over 'disgusting' sex tweet could soar
A $140,000 damages bill for a tweet by political outsider Mark Latham was not enough, a rival MP is due to tell an appeal court.
NSW independent MP Alex Greenwich was awarded the sum in September 2024 over the defamatory post sent days after the 2023 state election.
The tweet described the openly gay politician engaging in explicit sex acts and came as a response to Greenwich describing Latham as a "disgusting human being".
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The tweet was posted by Latham just days after the 2023 state election Sitthixay Ditthavong
As well as damages, the right-wing independent MP was also ordered by the Federal Court to pay an estimated $400,000 which covered a large portion of Greenwich's legal costs.
The former One Nation state leader has appealed, seeking to toss the award of damages and findings that the tweet was defamatory.
Greenwich has also filed his own appeal, seeking more than $140,000 in damages.
The court should have also found the tweet implied Greenwich was "not a fit and proper person to be a member of the NSW Parliament because he engages in disgusting sexual activities," a notice of cross-appeal filed in April says.
With this additional defamatory imputation, a higher penalty would be warranted, the independent MP claims.
Latham rejected an offer to settle the dispute for $20,000 and issue an apology a month after the tweet was posted.
An appeal hearing will be held over three days in November.
Greenwich has also launched a homosexual vilification case against Latham over the tweet.
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Greenwich has also launched a homosexual vilification case against Latham over the tweet. Dominic Lorrimer
A hearing has been held in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and judgment has yet to be delivered.
The online sparring match between the two politicians followed violent protests outside a church in Sydney's southwest, where Latham was giving a pre-election speech in March 2023.
About 250 mostly male counter-protesters violently attacked police and 15 LGBTQI protesters.
Latham has been embroiled in several recent scandals, including taking photos of women MPs without their knowledge, for which he has apologised.
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