An Australian legal tribunal has ordered former parliament member Mark Latham to pay $100K in damages to current lawmaker Alex Greenwich for unlawful vilification and sexual harassment based on sexual orientation.
The ruling stems from public comments Latham made on social media, in the Saturday Telegraph, and on TNT Radio. The tribunal also ordered Latham to delete the posts and refrain from similar statements, though he has pledged to appeal.
On March 30, 2023, responding to criticism from Greenwich, Latham wrote on Twitter, “Disgusting? How does that compare with sticking a dick up a bloke’s ars and covering it with shit?” Greenwich’s legal filing argued the remark portrayed him as engaging in disgusting sexual activities and unfit for office. The tribunal found the post incited hatred towards, serious contempt for, or to severely ridicule Greenwich based on his sexuality.
In a separate comment to the Saturday Telegraph, Latham said, “Greenwich goes into schools talking to kids about being gay. I didn’t want to be accused of anything similar…” insinuating fears of pedophilic behavior. During a TNT Radio interview, Latham described Greenwich’s presumed sexual practices as “puke-worthy.” The tribunal ruled all such remarks constituted unlawful vilification and sexual harassment under Australian civil law.
Latham criticized the decision as a “woke, left-wing political judgment,” arguing that social media should not be considered part of a parliamentary workplace. The tribunal disagreed, stating that public communication is inherent to political work. The case underscores how public figures can be held legally accountable for anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, particularly on social media.
