Labor calls for Mark Latham’s portrait removal amid explosive messages and sexual harassment debate

Labor is considering taking down Mark Latham’s photo from the party room wall, as disturbing allegations surface about the MP’s behaviour towards female colleagues.

Tanya Plibersek has confirmed that discussions are in progress to remove former Labor leader Mark Latham’s portrait from the Labor caucus room wall. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

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Tanya Plibersek has revealed that discussions are taking place about removing Mark Latham’s portrait from the Labor caucus room.

“Thankfully Mark Latham hasn’t been a member for years,” she said on ABC Breakfast.

“I know that there’s discussions going on right now whether it’s appropriate to have that photo in the caucus room.

“Mark Latham, you know, in any other workplace, he would have been sacked already.

“It’s only the people of New South Wales that can effectively sack Mark Latham.”

It comes after revelations Mr Latham allegedly took covert photos of female colleagues, made critical remarks about their appearance, and claimed to have pinched another MP’s bottom, according to messages he sent to his former partner and seen by The Daily Telegraph.

Embattled MP Mark Latham. Picture: Jeremy Piper

The images and comments were among a series of sexually explicit and disparaging remarks Mr Latham reportedly made about women in parliament.

The revelations come as Labor urges the Coalition to distance itself from Mr Latham, who has co-sponsored a proposed change to the legal definition of workplace sexual harassment — a move the Coalition supports despite his admitted explicit conduct and ongoing abuse allegations, which he denies.

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Originally published as Labor calls for Mark Latham’s portrait removal amid explosive messages and sexual harassment debate