Mark Latham denies ex-partner's allegations of domestic abuse and 'degrading' sex acts
The allegations are detailed by Nathalie Matthews in an apprehended violence order (AVO) application filed in a NSW local court against the former leader of both federal Labor and NSW One Nation, first reported by The Australian newspaper this week.
The matter, which does not involve criminal charges, will be heard in the Downing Centre Local Court on July 30.
The Australian reports Ms Matthews has accused Mr Latham, in court documents, of pressuring her to participate in "degrading sexual acts", throwing dinner plates at her and driving his car at her.
She is seeking orders preventing him from coming with 100 metres of her, The Australian reported.
Mr Latham has labelled the allegations as "comically false and ridiculous" in a post on his X social media account.
"As the old saying goes, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," the post said.
"The story says that Ms Matthews went to the police and they did not do anything. They certainly haven't contacted me. In the current environment, that says a lot.
"She told me in April she had been to police seeking an AVO against another man and they complained that they did nothing."
NSW Police did not lodge the AVO on behalf of Ms Matthews.
Mr Latham said he had "scores of documents" that he would rely upon to defend himself against the accusations.
Mr Latham is an independent member in the NSW Upper House and Ms Matthews is the managing director of a logistics company and previous Liberal candidate for Sutherland Shire Council.
The leader of the government in the Upper House, Penny Sharpe, said the allegations against Mr Latham were "very disturbing and frankly disgusting", while cautioning that they remained simply allegations.
Ms Sharpe said when parliament resumes, she would move a motion to refer Mr Latham to the privileges committee for allegedly "disclosing authorised information" after he used parliamentary privilege to reveal confidential information from a psychologist's report prepared for NCAT in proceedings brought by MP Alex Greenwich.
She said the government had previously been calling out Mr Latham "on a whole range of different things".
"I do not want to get ahead of the current allegations as revolting as they are," she said.
While cautioning that the current allegations are before the courts, Ms Sharpe said on Tuesday that the Liberals and Greens should reconsider working closely with Mr Latham in the Upper House.
The allegations are the latest in a series of controversies involving Mr Latham.
Mr Latham was last year ordered to pay $140,000 in a defamation suit after making graphic, homophobic comments in a tweet about Independent MP Alex Greenwich.
Separate vilification proceedings relating to the same tweet is ongoing in the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
In June, Mr Latham used parliamentary privilege to reveal confidential information from a psychologist's report about Mr Greenwich that was prepared for NCAT.
Later that week, NSW Premier Chris Minns labelled Mr Latham "one of Australia's biggest bigots", citing his comments about Mr Greenwich and on domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty.
In a podcast interview in 2016, Mr Latham accused Ms Batty — who was at the time Australian of the Year — of "demonising men" making those who hit women "feel worse about themselves".
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