One Nation’s NSW leader Mark Latham has resurfaced and delivered a fresh series of homophobic remarks and offered some words of advice for federal leader Pauline Hanson.
Warning: This story has details of homophobic comments, which might be distressing. For 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention call Lifeline on 13 11 14. For Australia-wide LGBTQI peer support call QLife on 1800 184 527 or webchat.
Last month Hanson demanded that Latham apologise for a homophobic remark he directed towards gay MP Alex Greenwich. Hanson told the media she was “disgusted” by Latham’s comments and had been trying to get in touch with him by phone calls and texts.
In an interview Greenwich had commented on an event Latham spoke at which saw a riot break out and LGBTIQA+ protesters attacked by a Christian group. Greenwich described Latham as a “disgusting human being” and a “hateful and dangerous individual”. Latham hit back on social media platform Twitter firing off a vile comment in relation to Greenwich and a sex act.
The comment was condemned by people across the political spectrum, but Latham refused to apologise, before announcing he was going on a holiday. Hanson was left to confess to the media that she never managed to get hold of her own team member, saying that Latham was “out of mobile service”.
Today Latham reappeared and joined shock-jock Chris Smith on TNT Radio making more crude remarks about sex acts and telling Smith he speaks for “straight men”.
The MP said Greenwich’s comments were extreme, an attack on his “very existence”, and based on “fake and confected allegations”.
“I took it to be an attack on my love of my children, my role in my community, my work in public life, he’s attacked my very existence as a human being as disgusting.” Latham said, accusing the independent MP of defaming his character.
“I speak for a lot of straight men.” Latham said, before delivering a fresh set of comments about gay sex acts and adding that thinking about them made him want to “vomit”. Throughout the interview Latham repeated the comments several times.
“I know there’s no category or letter in the LGBT-ABC-WTF alphabet for straight men but that’s how we honestly feel about people like Greenwich.” Latham said, declaring he was now paying a price for being honest.
Continuing on, Latham said “the gays” were massively overrepresented in parliament and in the media and running a “con job” by claiming they faced disadvantage in life.
“These are massively privileged people. The gay community has a high level of income, education, opportunities in life, I mean they’re all over politics and the media.”
Latham said Hanson had never tried to contact him and didn’t understand how straight men felt, because she is a woman.
“Pauline hasn’t rung me at any stage during this. I’ve had no contact from her whatsoever,” he said.
“I’m assuming that, as a woman, she doesn’t understand how straight men feel about this, and I don’t think gay men would understand how straight men feel about it.
OIP Staff
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