Former NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham was served with bankruptcy papers at Royal Randwick racecourse on Saturday, stemming from independent MP Alex Greenwich’s successful defamation lawsuit over a homophobic social media post. The bankruptcy notice relates to about $180,000 in court-ordered damages and interest, with Latham’s total legal bill exceeding $500,000 if unpaid costs are included.
Latham was served with papers by a representative of Greenwich while attending The Golden Eagle racing event. When a News Corp journalist who witnessed the serving approached him, Latham refused to comment, calling the reporter a “nosy dickhead”.
The defamation case arose from a March 2023 Twitter post by Latham that was highly graphic and referred to Greenwich’s sexuality. The Federal Court upheld the original finding that the post defamed Greenwich, and the High Court later dismissed Latham’s final appeal. Greenwich declined to comment on the serving, pointing instead to a statement he made after the High Court ruling. “Mr Latham defamed me in a sexually aggressive social media post that subjected me to an avalanche of homophobic hate,” Greenwich said. “Mr Latham has repeatedly refused to take responsibility for his actions, instead pursuing appeals through the courts.”
Latham complained to the Herald that he was targeted by the server and media. “When the left say, ‘Lower the temperature in politics,’ I was followed today for hours at the races (of all places) by some server (to deliver documents my lawyer already had) plus the Tele journalist and photographer,” he said.
Under the NSW Constitution Act 1902, any member of parliament who becomes bankrupt must have their seat declared vacant. Latham has 21 days to pay the outstanding debt. If he cannot or does not pay, he can apply to a court to declare himself officially bankrupt. In June, Latham listed his five-bedroom family home for $2.4 million, but he said the listing had nothing to do with mounting legal bills and damages owed in his feud with Greenwich.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Latham could lose his seat in the NSW Legislative Council if declared bankrupt, potentially shifting the chamber’s balance of power
- The case highlights the personal financial consequences for politicians found to have defamed others
- The 21-day deadline sets a clear timeline for Latham’s political future
Background
Mark Latham is a former federal Labor leader who later led One Nation in NSW. The defamation case began in March 2023 when Latham posted a graphic, homophobic tweet about Alex Greenwich, the independent MP for Sydney. The Federal Court found the post defamatory and awarded damages. Latham exhausted appeals up to the High Court, which dismissed his final appeal earlier this month. His total liability now exceeds $500,000 including unpaid legal costs.
Key Perspectives
Mark Latham: says he was followed for hours and served documents his lawyer already had, calling the episode a political targeting.
Alex Greenwich: says Latham defamed him in a sexually aggressive post that led to homophobic abuse, and that Latham has refused to take responsibility.
What to Watch
- Whether Latham pays the debt, applies for bankruptcy, or negotiates a payment plan within 21 days
- The NSW Legislative Council’s response if Latham becomes bankrupt and his seat is declared vacant
- Any potential by-election or appointment to fill the vacancy if it occurs
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMark Latham was served with bankruptcy papers at Royal Randwick on Saturday.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Mark Latham’s day at the horse races has ended in a potential loss of almost $180,000 after the MP was served with bankruptcy papers while at the Royal Randwick racecourse.”
- SupportedLatham could lose his parliamentary seat if he becomes bankrupt after not paying the debt within 21 days.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Latham has 21 days to pay the outstanding debt. If he cannot, or does not pay, he can then apply for a court to declare himself officially bankrupt. Under the NSW Constitution Act 1902, any member of parliament who “becomes bankrupt or takes the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors” must have their seat declared vacant.”
- SupportedThe notice concerns about $180,000 in court-ordered damages and interest, payable within 21 days.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Latham is being pursued for about $180,000 in court-ordered damages and interest. [...] Latham has 21 days to pay the outstanding debt.”
- SupportedThe bankruptcy notice stems from Greenwich’s successful defamation lawsuit over a homophobic social media post.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The bankruptcy notice stems from independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich’s successful defamation lawsuit against Latham over a “vile, homophobic” Twitter post from March 2023.”
- SupportedLatham’s total bill exceeds $500,000 when unpaid legal costs are included.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “When factoring in unpaid legal costs, his total bill exceeds $500,000.”
- SupportedLatham called the News Corp journalist who approached him a “nosy dickhead.”Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “When approached by a News Corp journalist who witnessed the serving, Latham refused to comment, calling the reporter a “nosy dickhead”.”
- SupportedLatham said he had been followed for hours at the races by a server, a journalist and a photographer.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““When the left say, ‘Lower the temperature in politics,’ I was followed today for hours at the races (of all places) by some server (to deliver documents my lawyer already had) plus the Tele journalist and photographer,” he said.”
- SupportedThe Federal Court upheld the finding that Latham’s post defamed Greenwich.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “The Federal Court upheld the original finding that Latham’s post, which was highly graphic and referred to Greenwich’s sexuality, defamed the MP.”
- SupportedGreenwich declined to comment on the serving and pointed to a statement he had made after the High Court dismissed Latham’s final appeal.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: “Greenwich declined to comment on the serving, pointing instead to a statement he made earlier this month after the High Court dismissed Latham’s final appeal.”
- SupportedGreenwich said Latham defamed him in a sexually aggressive post that subjected him to homophobic hate.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““Mr Latham defamed me in a sexually aggressive social media post that subjected me to an avalanche of homophobic hate,” Greenwich said.”
- SupportedGreenwich said Latham repeatedly refused to take responsibility and pursued appeals through the courts.Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News: ““Mr Latham has repeatedly refused to take responsibility for his actions, instead pursuing appeals through the courts,” he said.”