High Court Upholds Ruling Mark Latham Defamed MP Alex Greenwich With Homophobic Tweet

The High Court of Australia has rejected former One Nation member Mark Latham’s application for special leave to overturn a ruling that he defamed gay independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich.

The decision upholds the lower court rulings against the NSW Legislative Council member stemming from a graphic, homophobic tweet he posted in March 2023.

With no further avenue for appeal, Latham will be required to pay Greenwich a total of $240,000 in damages. These include $140,000 for Defamation, which the Federal Court ordered Lathan to pay in September of 2024, and $100,000 for Vilification and Harassment, which the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) ordered Latham to pay in April of 2026.

Alex Greenwich Responds To High Court Ruling

“I’m relieved and grateful for today’s decision by the High Court to reject Mr Latham’s application for special leave to appeal,” Greenwich said of the High Court’s ruling.

“More than three years ago, Mr Latham defamed me in a sexually aggressive social media post that subjected me to an avalanche of homophobic hate. Mr Latham has repeatedly refused to take responsibility for his actions, instead pursuing appeals through the courts.”

According to Greenwich, this victory not only brings an end to over three years of tough legal proceedings for himself, but stands as a win for all LGBTQ+ people subject to homophobic hate.

“I took this legal action not only to stand up for myself and protect my reputation, but also to stand up for the LGBTQ community and help lift the standards of public discourse in my profession. No one should have to endure the kind of abuse I experienced, particularly from someone holding public office.

“At a time when politics is too often dominated by division, hostility and personal attacks, this outcome sends an important message. Together with the original Federal Court judgment and the NCAT ruling, today’s High Court decision reinforces that there are consequences for hateful and defamatory conduct, and that there is no place for homophobic abuse in Australian political discourse.”

Mark Latham’s Homophobic Tweet Defaming Alex Greenwich

Latham’s comments were made on Twitter after Greenwich condemned him over the attacks on peaceful LGBTQ+ protestors by around 250 far-right Christian men outside a Belfield Church, where the One Nation leader was due to give a speech in March 2023. 

“Mark Latham is a disgusting human being and people who are considering voting for One Nation need to realise they are voting for an extremely hateful and dangerous individual who risks causing a great deal of damage to our state,” Greenwich later told the Sydney Morning Herald.

In response, on March 30 2023, Latham tweeted: “Disgusting? How does that compare with sticking your dick up a bloke’s arse and covering it with shit?”