Fresh pain for Latham after sexting scandal
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. Mark Latham. NewsWire/Monique Harmer. Credit: News Corp Australia Alex Greenwich. NewsWire/Christian Gilles. Credit: News Corp Australia
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'. Mark Latham. NewsWire/ Jeremy Piper. Credit: News Corp Australia
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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