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Pauline Hanson has slammed One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham for a ‘disgusting’ homophobic tweet he sent to a gay MP.
The senator posted a damning video on Facebook where she made it clear that her party did not ‘condone’ Mr Latham’s tweet.
Ms Hanson called on Mr Latham to make a public apology and added that she had tried to call him a couple of times ‘to no avail’.
Discussing his comments, she said: ‘I want you to know that I don’t condone them and neither do my members of parliament or party associates. I think they are disgusting.
‘I’ve actually tried to ring Mark a couple of times, to no avail. And I have clearly sent a text message to him, telling him my views.
‘I’ve asked him to give the people an apology. I will leave it at that. It is now over to Mark to answer to the people.’
Her fiery video statement came after Mr Latham astonishing tweet, which was in response to gay Labor Alex Greenwich slamming him as a ‘disgusting human being’.
Responding to the gay MP’s comments on Thursday morning, Mr Latham wrote: ‘Disgusting? How does that compare with sticking your d*** up a bloke’s a*** and covering it with s***?’
His tweet has since been deleted but is he yet to comment on the matter.
State One Nation leader Mark Latham (pictured) has written a homophobic tweet after independent MP Alex Greenwich called him a ‘disgusting human being’
Latham wrote: ‘Disgusting? How does that compare with sticking your d*** up a bloke’s a*** and covering it with s***?’
Mr Greenwich had blasted Latham after ‘Christian Lives Matter’ and LGBTQI protesters violently clashed outside St Michaels Church in Belfield, in Sydney’s south-west, where he was speaking.
Three men were arrested over alleged attacks on demonstrators from the Community Action for Rainbow Rights group that evening.
‘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,’ Mr Greenwich said at a press conference.
The state One Nation leader’s shocking response was slammed by several leading political figures.
NSW Labor upper house leader Penny Sharpe said she was ‘physically sickened’ by the now-deleted tweet.
‘Homophobia is always unacceptable and there is never an excuse,’ she said.
‘Mr Latham should apologise to Alex Greenwich immediately.’
Pauline Hanson posted a damning video on Facebook where she made it clear that her party did not ‘condone’ Mr Latham’s tweet
Twitter users including conservative commentator and former commando Heston Russell also condemned Mr Latham.
‘You cannot be serious – this is absolutely pathetic @realmarklatham – the true character is displayed during crisis and success mate, and you have failed miserably,’ Mr Russell wrote.
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Veteran 10 News reporter Hugh Riminton tweeted: ‘Extraordinary. This is One Nation NSW Leader Mark Latham referring today to another elected politician who happens to be gay.’
Refugee advocate Shane Bazzi said: ‘Mark Latham has deleted these disgusting homophobic tweets without apology or explanation (not that any apology would be genuine anyway)’.
‘Is this real?’ asked another Twitter user. Latham’s tweet was deleted after about an hour.
The NSW environment minister, Penny Sharpe, told The Guardian she was ‘physically sickened’ by the comment and has called on Latham to apologise.
Veteran journalist Deborah Knight branded the tweet as ‘unacceptable in the extreme’ on her 2GB radio show.
‘Mark Latham’s tweet is off the charts,’ she said.
‘I won’t repeat it, you can’t, what he’s written is something you would never say,’
‘Mark Latham needs to take a good hard look in the mirror for posting stuff like this.’
Alex Greenwich declined to comment on Latham’s tweet when approached by Daily Mail Australia. Latham has been contacted for comment.
The One Nation leader was responding to comments from Independent MP Alex Greenwich (pictured), who urged potential supporters of Latham to ‘realise they are voting for an extremely hateful and dangerous individual’
Former commando Heston Russell was one of several people who lambasted Latham over the vile tweet
The extraordinary Twitter stoush came after as many as 500 ‘Christian’ protesters violently clashed with LGBTQ activists last Tuesday, as Mr Latham gave a speech at a church.
The activists claimed ‘Christian Lives Matter’ followers threw rocks and bottles at them. Police said the large crowd also hurled glass bottles at officers, with one constable taken to the Canterbury Hospital with cuts to his hand.
The terrifying clash was captured on film and showed the Christian group shouting abuse at the activists.
At one stage, a man was seen throwing a punch into the crowd, only for it to connect with the back of a woman’s head.
She was then heard screaming and crying as a friend wraps his arm around her.
The war of words between the two politicians were sparked by a violent clash between ‘Christian’ Lives Matter’ and LGBTQI protesters outside a church where Latham was speaking
Latham said police had advised him not to speak that night.
‘To not give my speech, to go straight home would have allowed the transgender protesters to cancel my free speech and democratic rights as an election candidate, things that are sacred to me and have been for 35 years in running for elections, local, Federal and State,’ he said at the time.
‘I didn’t see what happened on the front street, but I sincerely convey my best wishes to those injured and thank the police officers involved for their work. No one should take the law into their own hands. Violence at political events is wrong.’
