Latham hears of tweet fallout via video link
The former Labor leader has faced days of controversy following allegations he abused his former partner, Nathalie Matthews, and sent her sexual messages from the parliament chamber.
The member of the NSW upper house has strenuously denied Ms Matthews' allegations, which are untested and contained in an application for an apprehended violence order (AVO) filed in the local court.
He not been charged with any criminal offence.
Mr Latham's injury was revealed in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Tuesday.
Greenwich, an independent Sydney MP, has brought NCAT proceedings against the maverick MP, alleging he was subjected to homosexual vilification and workplace sexual harassment over a graphic tweet by Mr Latham.
Mr Latham, through his solicitor Zali Burrows, is contesting the case.
Mr Latham did not appear before the tribunal in Sydney on Tuesday, with Ms Burrows telling the court that he had a fractured knee and could not travel.
Instead he beamed into the courtroom via video link.
The NCAT case is centred on a tweet by Latham, as well as comments made by the former One Nation MP in newspaper and radio interviews.
The same tweet was the subject of Federal Court defamation proceedings in which Latham was ordered to pay $140,000 to Greenwich.
Federal Court Justice David O'Callaghan ruled in favour of Greenwich during the defamation proceedings, finding that the tweet conveyed the meaning that Greenwich 'engaged in disgusting sexual activities' and that it was defamatory.
He also rejected Latham's defence of honest opinion and qualified common law privilege.
Greenwich has now launched NCAT proceedings against Latham and his counsel has argued that each of the statements amounted to unlawful homosexual vilification and sexual harassment and that Latham breached the Anti-Discrimination Act.
Alexander Graham, who works in Mr Greenwich's office as an electorate officer, told the tribunal the office was inundated with messages in the wake of the Latham tweet.
Under cross examination from Ms Burrows, he was asked if Greenwich's office received negative communications at other times, including during the anti-abortion bill debate.
Mr Graham said while Greenwich's office did receive letters and emails from people disagreeing with the amendments there wasn't anything 'directly disparaging of Alex'.
He told the court the only time he could recall police being called was as a result of the fallout from the Latham tweet.
The tribunal heard that some of the abusive calls came from private numbers.
'The abusive phone calls from private numbers, you cannot ascertain they were from genuine haters,' Ms Burrows asked.
Greenwich's barrister Prue Bindon objected to the question.
Mr Graham later told the tribunal the office received a 'barrage' of hateful letters, emails and phone calls.
He said some were written with letters which had been cut from magazines and newspapers.
'There were ones that directly threatened Alex … talking about throwing homosexuals off the bluff,' Mr Graham said.
He described some of the communications as 'bizarre' and 'threatening' and that Greenwich's staff began using gloves to open mail.
Ms Bindon previously told the tribunal the elements of homophobic vilification alleged in the case hinge on the public act, claiming Latham's comments had incited hatred, contempt or severe ridicule.
She said the sexual harassment allegations were in relation to unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in circumstances where a reasonable person would've anticipated it to cause humiliation or intimidation.
Ms Bindon also previously said she anticipated the defence would claim Greenwich's reputation was to some extent not damaged.
The matter will return to court next month.
The hearing followed Labor deciding to keep his portrait in the Labor's Parliament House party room with a note saying he was 'banned for life' from the party in 2017.
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The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
100,000 march in Melbourne and Sydney to protest Israel's bombardment of Gaza
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Standing on the bridge a few metres from the police line, Kevin Bracken said he had attended most protests and all had been peaceful. 'It's right over the top, isn't it?' he said. 'It's sending the message, who runs Victoria? They couldn't stop it in NSW, but the politicians here are puppet masters. This is about what's happening in Gaza. This is about starving children.' After the larger protest dispersed about 3pm, a small spin-off group stopped traffic and started burning an Australian flag and spray-painting 'Abolish Australia' on Spencer Street. When asked whether they represented the broader protest movement, one person in a grey hoodie and black mask shook her head and walked away. 'We're just concerned citizens,' said another. 'No group.' They chanted 'Too many coppers, not enough justice' and 'Free Palestine' before police arrived and the crowd of fewer than one dozen people dispersed. Earlier in the day, former Greens candidate for Wills Samantha Ratnam addressed the crowd to roaring applause and clanging pots, a symbol of food shortages in Gaza. She said Labor was feeling pressure amid rising calls for Israeli sanctions and greater scrutiny on contracts for military parts. 'The more they minimise us ... the more and more they're being overwhelmed [by the] community telling them they're on the wrong side of history,' she said. Rally organiser Mohammad Sharab said the protests were about peace and humanity, criticising the media and politicians for calling the protesters 'extremists'. 'We stand for justice ... We are not ashamed of it. For those who call us extremist and antisemitic for standing against genocide, these extreme comments make you the extremist. That's my message to [Premier] Jacinta Allan,' he said. Palestinian activist Basil El Ghattis held up pictures of children aged from six months to 17 years old, suffering severe malnutrition from the aid blockade in Gaza. 'The starvation of Palestinians today is a page out of the colonial playbook,' he said. 'We must hold our government to account.' Earlier, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said the force repeatedly engaged with Melbourne protest organisers to persuade them not to gather on the King Street Bridge, but rally plans had not changed. She said officers would have a visible presence in the city on Sunday, with additional police brought in from outside metropolitan Melbourne. Police confirmed there were no arrests, but they were following up a report that an egg was thrown at a person during the protest Organisers from the Free Palestine Coalition said the police decision to bring in hundreds of additional officers was a waste of resources for a peaceful protest. 'Gaza is suffering from an ongoing forced man-made famine and ongoing bombing of civilians,' the coalition said. 'This is exactly why organisers are holding the protest to King Street Bridge ... to let the good people of the city of Melbourne know that there are atrocities happening in Gaza, and that we as a community have an opportunity to change the status quo, and bring about change.' Loading The Israeli government has denied claims of genocide and starvation in Gaza, claiming the war is an act of self-defence. Premier Jacinta Allan warned protesters there would be consequences for anyone who caused chaos in the CBD. 'There are strong operational arrangements in place for today. Those are in place to support people's safety,' she said at a press conference on Sunday morning before the protest. 'Anyone who breaks the law, anyone who compromises community safety will be dealt with swiftly by Victoria Police.' Opposition Leader Brad Battin said it was vital that rallies had to receive a permit to go-ahead and police were given powers to 'move on' protesters, to avoid circumstances where major roads were closed. '[The state government] hasn't brought the legislation in to ensure we've got registration of protests here in our state … to keep the community moving and keep the community safe,' he said. Last week, Police Chief Commissioner, Mike Bush, ruled out introducing protest permits in Victoria, saying they had not been a game-changer in other states. On Sunday, Battin urged the chief commissioner to reconsider, suggesting a stance against protest permits was the wrong message for Victoria. 'The chief commissioner has been here for a short period of time, not for all 92 of these protests that have happened in the city ... But the reality is, the legislation lies with the government.' The Victorian government last year announced it would criminalise face masks at protests and the use of glue, rope, chains and other devices that cause disruptions, but it is yet to bring the bill to parliament.
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
'Perilous': largest-ever Gaza protest packs bridge
An unprecedented throng of protesters turned the Sydney Harbour Bridge into a sea of Palestinian flags and the centrepoint of public resistance to Israel's military action in Gaza. About 90,000 turned out on a wet and windy Sunday to spotlight suffering in Gaza after a police order to prohibit the protest was rejected by a court. Organiser Palestine Action Group said it aimed to draw attention to what the United Nations has described as worsening famine conditions in Gaza. Several Labor MPs including former NSW Labor premier and former federal foreign minister Bob Carr joined the march in defiance of Premier Chris Minns alongside multiple Greens and independent colleagues. The premier previously warned the city would "descend into chaos" if the protest went ahead. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange joined Mr Carr at the rally with the pair seen leading the crowd and clutching a giant "Save Gaza" placard. Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster and former boxer and rugby league star Anthony Mundine added to the list of prominent attendees. Australians have been watching "an avalanche of atrocities that cannot be denied or erased", Foster told the crowd. "As a country we've said much but not acted as we must," he said. About an hour into the march and with increasing concerns for public safety, police urged protesters on the bridge to turn around "to avoid a crowd crush" and "risk of injury due to the huge number of people taking part". The force permitted protesters to return southbound across the bridge to the Sydney CBD after the march was initially proposed to end in North Sydney. By 5pm, bridge lanes had reopened in both directions. NSW Police Acting Commissioner Peter McKenna estimated attendance at about 90,000 people and described the crowd as the largest he had seen in Sydney. "We were really overwhelmed with numbers," he told reporters on Sunday evening, noting attendees were well behaved and thanking them for complying with police orders. Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson described the situation as "perilous" and worried police were going to have a "major incident with potential loss of life". "I can honestly say in my 35 years of policing, that was a perilous situation ... I've never seen a more perilous situation," he said. Rally speaker and independent Jewish journalist and author Antony Loewenstein said he saw "no evidence" the huge number of people who attended were in any physical danger due to the crowd's size. "Police are trying to create a fiction around an event they maybe weren't prepared for," he said. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley questioned the shutting down of a "critical piece of infrastructure" in Sydney. "I respect the right of free speech and protest, but this is taking it to another level ... the protest could happen elsewhere," Ms Ley told Sky News. Labor backbencher Ed Husic, who has been more outspoken on ending the war in Gaza, emphasised unity. First time protesters and friends Ian Robertson, 74, and Greg Mullins, 66, said they hoped their attendance could make a difference. "The world's gone mad," Mr Mullins told AAP. "I came today because I don't want my kids telling me what were you doing when this mass murder and genocide was going on," Mr Robertson said. About 25,000 protesters also marched through Melbourne to block a major CBD thoroughfare but were stopped by a wall of riot police at the entrance to the King Street Bridge. Many in the crowd banged pots and pans in a nod to mounting concerns about mass starvation in Gaza. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to local health authorities, while the United Nations says dozens of people have died in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages. An unprecedented throng of protesters turned the Sydney Harbour Bridge into a sea of Palestinian flags and the centrepoint of public resistance to Israel's military action in Gaza. About 90,000 turned out on a wet and windy Sunday to spotlight suffering in Gaza after a police order to prohibit the protest was rejected by a court. Organiser Palestine Action Group said it aimed to draw attention to what the United Nations has described as worsening famine conditions in Gaza. Several Labor MPs including former NSW Labor premier and former federal foreign minister Bob Carr joined the march in defiance of Premier Chris Minns alongside multiple Greens and independent colleagues. The premier previously warned the city would "descend into chaos" if the protest went ahead. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange joined Mr Carr at the rally with the pair seen leading the crowd and clutching a giant "Save Gaza" placard. Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster and former boxer and rugby league star Anthony Mundine added to the list of prominent attendees. Australians have been watching "an avalanche of atrocities that cannot be denied or erased", Foster told the crowd. "As a country we've said much but not acted as we must," he said. About an hour into the march and with increasing concerns for public safety, police urged protesters on the bridge to turn around "to avoid a crowd crush" and "risk of injury due to the huge number of people taking part". The force permitted protesters to return southbound across the bridge to the Sydney CBD after the march was initially proposed to end in North Sydney. By 5pm, bridge lanes had reopened in both directions. NSW Police Acting Commissioner Peter McKenna estimated attendance at about 90,000 people and described the crowd as the largest he had seen in Sydney. "We were really overwhelmed with numbers," he told reporters on Sunday evening, noting attendees were well behaved and thanking them for complying with police orders. Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson described the situation as "perilous" and worried police were going to have a "major incident with potential loss of life". "I can honestly say in my 35 years of policing, that was a perilous situation ... I've never seen a more perilous situation," he said. Rally speaker and independent Jewish journalist and author Antony Loewenstein said he saw "no evidence" the huge number of people who attended were in any physical danger due to the crowd's size. "Police are trying to create a fiction around an event they maybe weren't prepared for," he said. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley questioned the shutting down of a "critical piece of infrastructure" in Sydney. "I respect the right of free speech and protest, but this is taking it to another level ... the protest could happen elsewhere," Ms Ley told Sky News. Labor backbencher Ed Husic, who has been more outspoken on ending the war in Gaza, emphasised unity. First time protesters and friends Ian Robertson, 74, and Greg Mullins, 66, said they hoped their attendance could make a difference. "The world's gone mad," Mr Mullins told AAP. "I came today because I don't want my kids telling me what were you doing when this mass murder and genocide was going on," Mr Robertson said. About 25,000 protesters also marched through Melbourne to block a major CBD thoroughfare but were stopped by a wall of riot police at the entrance to the King Street Bridge. Many in the crowd banged pots and pans in a nod to mounting concerns about mass starvation in Gaza. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to local health authorities, while the United Nations says dozens of people have died in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages. An unprecedented throng of protesters turned the Sydney Harbour Bridge into a sea of Palestinian flags and the centrepoint of public resistance to Israel's military action in Gaza. About 90,000 turned out on a wet and windy Sunday to spotlight suffering in Gaza after a police order to prohibit the protest was rejected by a court. Organiser Palestine Action Group said it aimed to draw attention to what the United Nations has described as worsening famine conditions in Gaza. Several Labor MPs including former NSW Labor premier and former federal foreign minister Bob Carr joined the march in defiance of Premier Chris Minns alongside multiple Greens and independent colleagues. The premier previously warned the city would "descend into chaos" if the protest went ahead. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange joined Mr Carr at the rally with the pair seen leading the crowd and clutching a giant "Save Gaza" placard. Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster and former boxer and rugby league star Anthony Mundine added to the list of prominent attendees. Australians have been watching "an avalanche of atrocities that cannot be denied or erased", Foster told the crowd. "As a country we've said much but not acted as we must," he said. About an hour into the march and with increasing concerns for public safety, police urged protesters on the bridge to turn around "to avoid a crowd crush" and "risk of injury due to the huge number of people taking part". The force permitted protesters to return southbound across the bridge to the Sydney CBD after the march was initially proposed to end in North Sydney. By 5pm, bridge lanes had reopened in both directions. NSW Police Acting Commissioner Peter McKenna estimated attendance at about 90,000 people and described the crowd as the largest he had seen in Sydney. "We were really overwhelmed with numbers," he told reporters on Sunday evening, noting attendees were well behaved and thanking them for complying with police orders. Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson described the situation as "perilous" and worried police were going to have a "major incident with potential loss of life". "I can honestly say in my 35 years of policing, that was a perilous situation ... I've never seen a more perilous situation," he said. Rally speaker and independent Jewish journalist and author Antony Loewenstein said he saw "no evidence" the huge number of people who attended were in any physical danger due to the crowd's size. "Police are trying to create a fiction around an event they maybe weren't prepared for," he said. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley questioned the shutting down of a "critical piece of infrastructure" in Sydney. "I respect the right of free speech and protest, but this is taking it to another level ... the protest could happen elsewhere," Ms Ley told Sky News. Labor backbencher Ed Husic, who has been more outspoken on ending the war in Gaza, emphasised unity. First time protesters and friends Ian Robertson, 74, and Greg Mullins, 66, said they hoped their attendance could make a difference. "The world's gone mad," Mr Mullins told AAP. "I came today because I don't want my kids telling me what were you doing when this mass murder and genocide was going on," Mr Robertson said. About 25,000 protesters also marched through Melbourne to block a major CBD thoroughfare but were stopped by a wall of riot police at the entrance to the King Street Bridge. Many in the crowd banged pots and pans in a nod to mounting concerns about mass starvation in Gaza. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to local health authorities, while the United Nations says dozens of people have died in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages. An unprecedented throng of protesters turned the Sydney Harbour Bridge into a sea of Palestinian flags and the centrepoint of public resistance to Israel's military action in Gaza. About 90,000 turned out on a wet and windy Sunday to spotlight suffering in Gaza after a police order to prohibit the protest was rejected by a court. Organiser Palestine Action Group said it aimed to draw attention to what the United Nations has described as worsening famine conditions in Gaza. Several Labor MPs including former NSW Labor premier and former federal foreign minister Bob Carr joined the march in defiance of Premier Chris Minns alongside multiple Greens and independent colleagues. The premier previously warned the city would "descend into chaos" if the protest went ahead. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange joined Mr Carr at the rally with the pair seen leading the crowd and clutching a giant "Save Gaza" placard. Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster and former boxer and rugby league star Anthony Mundine added to the list of prominent attendees. Australians have been watching "an avalanche of atrocities that cannot be denied or erased", Foster told the crowd. "As a country we've said much but not acted as we must," he said. About an hour into the march and with increasing concerns for public safety, police urged protesters on the bridge to turn around "to avoid a crowd crush" and "risk of injury due to the huge number of people taking part". The force permitted protesters to return southbound across the bridge to the Sydney CBD after the march was initially proposed to end in North Sydney. By 5pm, bridge lanes had reopened in both directions. NSW Police Acting Commissioner Peter McKenna estimated attendance at about 90,000 people and described the crowd as the largest he had seen in Sydney. "We were really overwhelmed with numbers," he told reporters on Sunday evening, noting attendees were well behaved and thanking them for complying with police orders. Acting Assistant Commissioner Adam Johnson described the situation as "perilous" and worried police were going to have a "major incident with potential loss of life". "I can honestly say in my 35 years of policing, that was a perilous situation ... I've never seen a more perilous situation," he said. Rally speaker and independent Jewish journalist and author Antony Loewenstein said he saw "no evidence" the huge number of people who attended were in any physical danger due to the crowd's size. "Police are trying to create a fiction around an event they maybe weren't prepared for," he said. Federal Opposition Leader Sussan Ley questioned the shutting down of a "critical piece of infrastructure" in Sydney. "I respect the right of free speech and protest, but this is taking it to another level ... the protest could happen elsewhere," Ms Ley told Sky News. Labor backbencher Ed Husic, who has been more outspoken on ending the war in Gaza, emphasised unity. First time protesters and friends Ian Robertson, 74, and Greg Mullins, 66, said they hoped their attendance could make a difference. "The world's gone mad," Mr Mullins told AAP. "I came today because I don't want my kids telling me what were you doing when this mass murder and genocide was going on," Mr Robertson said. About 25,000 protesters also marched through Melbourne to block a major CBD thoroughfare but were stopped by a wall of riot police at the entrance to the King Street Bridge. Many in the crowd banged pots and pans in a nod to mounting concerns about mass starvation in Gaza. More than 60,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza, according to local health authorities, while the United Nations says dozens of people have died in recent weeks due to starvation. Israel's military campaign began after militant group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking more than 251 hostages.
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Anti-Israel Sydney Harbour Bridge protest calls for death of Israeli soldiers
Sky News host James Macpherson discusses the anti-Israel Sydney Harbour Bridge protest, which had approximately 90,000 participants. 'Sydney Harbour Bridge was shut down today as 90,000 anti-Israel protesters marched for humanity,' Mr Macpherson said. 'Who knew marching for humanity meant calling for the death of Israeli soldiers or waving Hamas flags, Taliban flags and images of the supreme leader of Iran.'
