Mark Latham lashes media ‘galahs and fools' as accusations grow

News.com.au

5 days ago

Mark Latham has dismissed claims he breached confidentiality over a medical report on Sydney MP Alex Greenwich in a wild radio spray during which he blasted members of the media as a 'pack of galahs and fools'.
The former Labor and one-time NSW One Nation leader has faced a week of controversy, including allegations he abused his former partner, Nathalie Matthews, and sent her sexual messages from the parliament chamber.
Mr Latham has strenuously denied Ms Matthews' allegations, which are untested and contained in an application for an apprehended violence order (AVO) filed in court this week, and has not been charged with any offence.
Speaking during his weekly slot with Brent Bultitude on Radio 2SM, Mr Latham said he 'couldn't say much' about the case, which is before the courts, but instead used his half-hour slot to lash out at negative reporting.
Mr Latham accused journalists from The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper of being the 'biggest pack of galahs and fools' who had a 'manic determination to engage in the politics of personal destruction against me'.
The former Sky News presenter's criticism of the SMH focused on an opinion piece published on Thursday that described Mr Latham as a 'cockroach' and alleged he shared a confidential psychologist's report.
The article alleged Mr Latham used parliamentary privilege to share the confidential medical information about Sydney MP Alex Greenwich that was presented to the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).
Mr Greenwich began proceedings in the tribunal alleging homosexual vilification and workplace sexual harassment after the Federal Court found that Mr Latham had defamed Ms Greenwich in a series of tweets.
Mr Latham told Bultitude that he ascertained the 'nature' of the medical material by googling the name of the treating clinician after they were mentioned during NCAT proceedings and in affidavits to the Federal Court and NCAT.
He went on to call NSW upper house leader Penny Sharpe to withdraw a motion over the matter and claimed he had 'never received notification of any complaint' from the parliamentary ethics committee over his behaviour.
Mr Latham also bizarrely claimed to have received a phone call from SMH editor Bevan Shields on the day of the 2025 federal election but told Bultitude that he was unsure if it was Shields and could not call the number.
'When the fella saying he's Bevan Shields, the editor (of The Sydney Morning Herald) rings me up on federal election day, if indeed that was him … Bevan, come out and out yourself,' Mr Latham went on to tell Bultitude.
Bultitude defended his relationship with Mr Latham during the program on Friday afternoon and described criticism of Mr Latham by Premier Chris Minns as 'payback' for his opposition to the Rosehill Racecourse sale.
He said he had received 'abuse for still having him on'.
Latham was re-elected to the upper house in 2023.
He had previously served in the NSW parliament from 2019 with One Nation before being sacked from the party by Pauline Hanson in 2023. Before that, Mr Latham took the Labor party to defeat in the 2004 federal election.
Mr Latham is further alleged to have filmed sexual acts within his office in parliament, covertly photographed female colleagues, and not disclosed tens of thousands of dollars given to him by his ex, Ms Matthews.