Lovestruck Mark Latham proposed marriage to ex-lover
Despite Mr Latham describing the relationship as 'a situationship', friends of the former couple have revealed the relationship was serious.
In fact, they insist that the former Labor leader proposed to the businesswoman and Liberal Party supporter on May 23, 2024 at the acclaimed Italian restaurant Otto in Sydney.
But Ms Matthews has now alleged that Mr Latham asked her to call him 'master' and engaged in degrading sexual acts, allegations detailed in a shocking apprehended violence application.
She has alleged that he defecated on her before sex, took intimate images and threw a plate at her – allegations Mr Latham strongly denies.
News.com.au does not suggest the claims are true, only that they have been made in an application to the NSW Local Court in pursuit of an AVO.
Mr Latham separated from his second wife Janine Lacy, a local magistrate, and the mother of his children, in September, 2022 after over twenty years of marriage.
He divorced his first wife Gabrielle Gwyther in 1999.
Mark Latham denies 'degrading' sex acts'
Mr Latham, 64, who is a New South Wales Legislative Council member, has issued an emphatic denial about the claims, telling The Australian newspaper – that first broke the story – that the allegations were untrue.
'The claims you've listed there are absolute rubbish,' Mr Latham said.
'Comical in fact.
'Nothing has been served on me nor has anyone contacted me.
'I haven't had anything to do with her (Ms Matthews) since 27 May, so nearly seven weeks ago. I ended the 'situationship' that night for very good reason.'
In late 2023, it was a different story with Mr Latham gushing over his new girlfriend on social media.
'So much looking forward to The Everest this Saturday at Royal Randwick,' Mr Latham's post read.
'A beautiful trophy designed by the great Nic Cerrone, made even more spectacular by being photographed with @nathaliemaymatthews.'
In another post, the loved-up couple cuddled at the Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, in Sydney's west.
'Great day of racing at Rosehill with the Town Crier and the very beautiful Nathalie Matthews,' the caption on the post read, followed by an emoji with heart eyes.
NSW police contact
NSW police sources say officers who initially interviewed Ms Matthews did not believe there was sufficient evidence to proceed with charges or an apprehended violence order on the information they were given.
They remain open to taking a further, more comprehensive statement.
They again spoke to her as recently as Monday and will continue to seek a comprehensive statement.
'Degrading' sexual acts alleged
Ms Matthews, 37, is seeking an order preventing Mr Latham from going within 100m of her, alleging an 'ongoing, reasonable fear of harassment, intimidation, and potential harm'.
'Throughout our relationship, the defendant engaged in a sustained pattern of emotional, physical, sexual, psychological, and financial abuse, including defecating on me before sex and refusing to let me wash,'' the application states.
'Forcing degrading sexual acts, pressuring me to engage in sexual acts with others, demanding I call him 'master,' telling me I was his property, and repeatedly telling me that my only value to him was for sex to demean and control me.'
News.com.au does not suggest the claims are true, only that they have been made in an application to the NSW Local Court in pursuit of an AVO.
In the application, she stated that on May 27, 2025, Mr Latham arrived at her home at some time in the evening after sending her 'abusive and coercive text messages, pressuring and insulting me for not being home with him'.
After she returned home later that evening, she alleged he was verbally aggressive and intimidating before leaving.
'Monster' texts revealed
Shortly after, she alleged he sent further threatening and coercive messages, falsely accusing her of aggression, calling her a 'monster,' and stating he had gone to his GP to create a record claiming distress and that he had approached Parliamentary Security – given he is currently a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council.
In June, she stated she was in the Middle East for several weeks. Ms Matthews owns an e-commerce global logistics firm based in Dubai, Perth and Sydney.
But upon her return, the application stated she had been in 'a constant state of fear and hypervigilance due to the defendant's pattern of harassment and intimidation following previous separations'.
She also alleged instances of physical violence in the application including 'pushing me against walls, forcing me out the door, throwing a plate at me during an argument, and driving at me with his vehicle, hitting me with the side mirror and causing a bruise'.
The application also cites allegations of psychological abuse, including 'constant put-downs comparing me unfavourably to other women, acting as if he would harm himself to manipulate me, monitoring my devices without consent, and systematically undermining my confidence to control and isolate me'.
There are also claims of financial abuse, including borrowing $20,000 on four occasions without prompt repayment, forcing her to pay for international holidays under duress, coercing her into expensive purchases, and pressuring her regarding her father's will.
'Intimate videos'
'The defendant has held intimate photos and videos of me, and I have been afraid he would expose them to shame and control me if I attempted to leave or resist his demands,'' the application stated.
'The defendant has repeatedly manipulated and intimidated me into resuming the relationship following separations, creating a cycle of fear and control. Previous breakups in May 2024, June 2024, September 2024, January 2025, and June 2025 were followed by similar intimidation and re-engagement.
'(Mr Latham engaged in) physical violence, including pushing me against walls, forcing me out the door, throwing a plate at me during an argument, and driving at me with his vehicle, hitting me with the side mirror and causing a bruise,' the court document claims.
The matter will be mentioned at Downing Centre Local Court on July 30.
'Vile' homophobic tweets
Last year the Federal Court found Mr Latham defamed independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich after claiming in a homophobic social media post that Mr Greenwich was not a fit and proper person to be a member of the NSW parliament because he engaged in 'disgusting' sexual activities.
He was ordered to pay $140,000 to Mr Greenwich.
During the trial, Mr Greenwich's barrister Matt Collins KC said Mr Latham's statements were 'pregnant with innuendo'.
'It is plainly not a tweet about homosexual sex. It's a tweet about a particular and unhygienic sex act,' Dr Collins said.
'People understood Mr Latham to be saying exactly what he said in the tweet: that Mr Greenwich engages in a particularly disgusting and hygienic sexual act.'
Last month Mr Latham used parliamentary privilege to reveal confidential information from a psychologist's report prepared for the tribunal as to the case brought by Mr Greenwich.
In response, Mr Greenwich told parliament that Mr Latham 'thinks and talks far too much about my sex life'.
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