Mark Latham strikes back over DVO application by ex-partner

NSW MP Mark Latham has ­accused his former girlfriend of ‘weaponising’ the court system by lodging a domestic violence order application against him.

Mark Latham with his French bulldogs, Digby and Leela, at the NSW parliament on Friday Picture: Jonathan Ng

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NSW MP Mark Latham has ­accused his former girlfriend of “weaponising” the court system by lodging a domestic violence order application against him.

Mr Latham, who appeared at a press conference at NSW Parliament House on Friday with his two French bulldogs, Digby and Leela, who were there to mark parliament’s annual Pets Day, said the allegations levelled against him by Nathalie Matthews had nothing to do with protecting her safety.

“Have you read the AVO application? The basis of it is that if I go near her, I’ll want to rekindle the relationship,” Mr Latham said, ­according to The Daily Telegraph.

“I’ve said to my eldest son, if that was ever true, invoke the ­euthanasia laws on me immediately. Your old man has lost it completely. That’s just unthinkable, ridiculous, but she’s used it as a way of weaponising other allegations against me that are completely false and have got nothing to do with her safety.

“On the suggestion that I want to go near her, I have spent every day since (the break up) wanting to have no contact with her whatsoever. I think that’s very obvious to any sane person.”

The Australian last week exclusively revealed Ms Matthews, who owns a global logistics firm, had lodged the DVO application accusing Mr Latham of domestic abuse, including defecating on her during sex and driving at her in a car.

The former federal Labor leader and One Nation politician now sits as an independent in the NSW Legislative Council.

Mr Latham was accused of sending sexually explicit messages to Ms Matthews while on the floor of parliament, and of making disparaging remarks about his parliamentary colleagues, including taking secret photos of them and criticising their appearance.

The Australian also revealed he had sent messages to his former partner mocking the hairstyle of former foreign minister Julie ­Bishop, and making a vulgar ­remark about her.

The messages showed Mr Latham sent Ms Matthews a screenshot of a media article ­criticising Ms Bishop’s “daring new do”.

“Gawd. What was she thinking?” Mr Latham wrote in the February 2024 messages.

Ms Matthews replied: “Too much wild sex.”

Mr Latham then sent Ms Matthews a vulgar remark, too graphic to publish, about Ms Bishop’s ­genitalia, adding: “And get a new hairdresser.”

Mr Latham has previously denied the allegations levelled against him by Ms Matthews in the DVO application as “absolute rubbish”.