Mark Latham joins One Nation as NSW leader

ON THE same day Pauline Hanson announced Mark Latham as a new recruit for One Nation she fronted up for TV appearances. But there was one issue.

ONE Nation leader Pauline Hanson was forced to do a Studio 10 interview solo as her newly appointed state leader Mark Latham was a no-show.

The duo were expected to appear on the morning program together following Mr Latham’s political comeback announcement, but just before they were to go to air, Mr Latham told producers he was pulling, leaving Ms Hanson to fulfil the interview solo … next to an empty chair.

Ms Hanson said she had “no idea” of the whereabouts of her new state leader.

“I do apologise on behalf of Mark we’ve had new staff, we’ve had other commitments and they’ve double booked us so that’s why I’m on my own,” Ms Hanson told the panel.

There is an empty chair on the panel next to @PaulineHansonOz this morning as Mark Latham pulled out at the last minute. #Studio10 pic.twitter.com/hJ2x9pxp62

— Studio 10 (@Studio10au) November 6, 2018

While she talked about “absolutely thrilled” she was to have Mr Latham on board, journalist and host Joe Hildebrand was quick to point Mr Latham’s had already broken a promise by not appearing on the show.

“But he’s not on board, he’s not here,” Hildebrand said.

“He’s not even become the NSW leader and officially endorsed candidate yet. But he’s already broken his first promise. At a time when people are losing faith in mainstream political parties and you’re capitalising on that, your straight talking, straight shooter has just lied to our producer.”

Co-host Angela Bishop questioned the integrity of Mr Latham as a state leader and the strength of the “marriage” between him and Ms Hanson.

“This morning is the time you have chosen to announce yourselves as a team, this was part of that announcement as a team and the team isn’t here,” Bishop said.

Mr Latham’s whereabouts is yet to be confirmed. Perhaps Today host Karl Stefanovic was onto something when he said he “can’t see it ending well” when the pair appeared on the program earlier this morning — referring to outspoken politicians’ unlikely pairing.

this image sums up one nation perfectly pic.twitter.com/Y8X9JntNCC

— Alex Bruce-Smith (@alexbrucesmith) November 6, 2018

But Mr Latham was quick to fire back.

“If we’re weaklings and hopeless and falling around the floor crying now you would say what a pathetic duo they are,” he said.

“Neither of us is politically correct. Both of us speak our mind. That’s a good thing. If pulling punches and being honest under political correctness is an issue we wouldn’t have the all the problems of public policy in NSW.”

He said he joined the party to speak the truth about what was happening in Sydney and the state. His main objective is to “end Sydney’s congestion”.

“The number one issue in Sydney is overpopulation and overdevelopment. The city is becoming unliveable and dysfunctional,” he told Stefanovic.

Mr Latham also spoke about slashing immigration rates, saying “we can’t go with 100,000 extra people coming into Sydney”. He vowed also to bring down electricity prices, stamp out political correctness and end divisive identity politics.

Mark Latham will take on a leadership role as the head of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation party in NSW.

But Stefanovic steered the conversation back to the pair’s characters, asking Mr Latham if he was able to take advice from a strong woman.

“Always. Pauline is the party leader. I listen to her. She listens to me and in this vital area of containing Sydney’s growth and making the city liveable, our policies are synch and I think that’s vital in giving people the third choice (behind Labor and the Coalition),” Mr Latham said.

When Stefanovic asking if Ms Hanson if she would be able to “keep him in line”, the senator didn’t take it lightly.

“Look, I don’t know why you keep going back to keeping him in line,” she fired back. “This is why I wanted Mark on board because of his knowledge, his experience.

“You know, no one can knock him. He was Labor Party opposition leader. He has a lot to offer. That’s why I don’t feel Mark was finished with politics and it’s definitely what One Nation needs in NSW, to push our policies.”

Ms Hanson had previously denied Mr Latham would be a candidate for One Nation at the next federal election after he quit the Liberal Democratic Party in September.

Today host Karl Stefanovic grills Mark Latham and Pauline Hanson on how their new relationship will work.

Asked about the former Labor leader’s return to politics, former Tasmanian Labor premier David Bartlett called Mr Latham a “sick, sad, sorry loser”.

Mr Latham earned himself the title of “king rat” from his former party colleagues after he did ads for both One Nation and the Liberal Democrats during this year’s Longman federal by-election.

Mr Latham was leader of the Labor Party from December 2003 until January 2005. Since leaving politics he has been a controversial political commentator and was sacked from the Sky News program Outsiders after he made insulting comments about a fellow presenter.

He also resigned from The Australian Financial Review after writing articles critical of Australian of the Year Rosie Batty as well as transgender woman and former Australian Defence Force member Catherine McGregor.

He is being sued for defamation by ABC journalist and ex-political editor of pop culture website Junkee, Osman Faruqi, over comments Mr Latham on made on his YouTube program in 2017 in a video entitled, “The Rise of Anti-White Racism and Terrorist Plots in Australia”.