Mark Latham labelled a ‘bigot’ and likened to a ‘pig’ in stunning attack

Chris Minns has unleashed a stunning attack after Mark Latham used parliamentary privilege to reveal confidential documents being used in his own court proceedings.

NSW Premier Chris Mnns, right, unleashed on MP Mark Latham, left. Pictures:L News Corp

Premier Chris Minns has labelled Mark Latham a “pig” and “one of the most shameful bigots in NSW,” in an extraordinary parliamentary spray against the Upper House MP.

Mr Minns unleashed on the Upper House MP over tough new hate speech laws, accusing Mr Latham of “blithely ignoring” more than 300 anti-Semitic attacks in the state over the past two years.

An upper house inquiry probing the relationship between new hate speech laws and the Dural caravan “fake terrorism plot” will hear on Friday from five government staffers who agreed to appear to escape being arrested and thrown in jail.

Mr Latham has repeatedly attacked the hate speech laws, which criminalise inciting racial hatred, as an attack on free speech.

“It may not shock people in the gallery or this parliament that one of Australia’s biggest bigots doesn’t like hate speech laws, but that doesn’t mean they’re not justified,” Mr Minns told parliament.

Mark Latham pictured entering the NSW Civil and Administrative tribunal for an anti-vilification and harassment case against him. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

“There were 14 incidents involved of anti Semitism related to the Dural caravan inquiry (but) there were 367 anti Semitism attacks in NSW over the last two years, 367 blithely ignored by (Mr Latham),” the Premier said.

“I’m reminded of that old adage … ‘never wrestle with a pig, because you both get dirty, and besides, the pig loves it’.

“At some point, members of this parliament and the other house have to stand against this bigotry.”

Mr Latham was previously ordered to pay $140,000 to Sydney MP Alex Greenwich over a homophobic tweet. He is appealing the decision. Photo Jeremy Piper

Mr Minns accused the Coalition and Greens MPs of using the upper house to “platform” Mr Latham, who he called “one of the most shameful bigots in NSW”.

The parliamentary inquiry is investigating what the government knew about the explosive-laden caravan when it pushed new hate speech laws through parliament.

Mr Minns initially called the discovery of the caravan, which contained explosives and a list of prominent Jewish locations, as “terrorism” because it would have “terror into the community, particularly the Jewish community”.

Premier Chris Minns called Mark Latham a “shameful bigot”. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Police later determined the caravan was a “fake” terror plot and a “criminal con job” allegedly orchestrated by organised crime figure Sayet Akca to pursue a favourable court outcome.

Separately, Mr Latham came under fire on Thursday for using parliamentary privilege to reveal a confidential “psychiatric assessment” that forms part of legal proceedings against him.

In a late night speech on Tuesday, Mr Latham attacked a psychiatric report that, he alleged, said Sydney MP Alex Greenwich had become a “hermit” and was “too mentally damaged to leave home”.

Mr Greenwich has brought legal proceedings against Mr Latham over allegations of homosexual vilification and sexual harassment.

The case centres on a homophobic tweet that described a sex act.

Mr Latham used parliamentary privilege on Tuesday to criticise Mr Greenwich’s psychiatrist, alleging she wrote a “fantastic psych report” to aid the MP’s “law fare claims”.

Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich brought legal proceedings against Mr Latham over allegations of homosexual vilification and sexual harassment. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

The report has been kept confidential from Mr Latham during the legal proceedings.

Mr Greenwich declined to comment.

On Thursday, the government’s Upper House leader Penny Sharpe told parliament she would seek an investigation into Mr Latham’s “unauthorised disclosure of privileged information” under the cover of parliamentary privilege.

Last year, the Federal Court ordered Mr Latham to pay Mr Greenwich $140,000 after losing a defamation battle over the tweet and subsequent comments. Mr Latham has appealed.