‘Shameful bigot … pig’: Chris Minns launches ferocious attack on Mark Latham
NSW Premier Chris Minns has labelled Mark Latham one of the state’s most ‘shameful bigots’ and accused the former One Nation MP of ignoring hundreds of anti-Semitic attacks in the state.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has labelled Mark Latham one of the state’s most “shameful bigots” and likened him to a pig, in a ferocious attack accusing the former One Nation MP of ignoring hundreds of anti-Semitic attacks in the state.
The Premier suggested in parliament on Thursday that Mr Latham was the guiding force behind an upper house inquiry into the Dural caravan “fake terrorism plot” that on Friday will hear from five government staff members who have been forced to appear before it under threat of arrest.
Mr Minns said Mr Latham – who is not a member of the Caravan inquiry committee – was nevertheless “calling the shots in the upper house”. The inquiry is investigating whether Mr Minns knew there was doubt about whether the Dural caravan incident was a “real” terror incident but used it to ram through tough new hate speech and protest laws to protect the Jewish community.
Mr Minns noted that, while there were 14 incidents involving anti-Semitism related to the Dural caravan inquiry, there had been 367 anti-Semitic attacks in NSW over the past two years that were “blithely ignored” by Mr Latham.
Mr Minns quoted Mr Latham’s “odious tweet” two months ago where he wrote: “Two Jews on Sky News saying ‘the fake anti‑Semitism narrative must stop’ … Minns emboldened the Jewish lobby and now it’s out of control.”
“Of course, it is that old trope of bigots everywhere, blaming a Jewish conspiracy,” Mr Minns said.
“At some point, the members of this parliament and the other house have to stand against this bigotry.”
“In the upper house, the Greens, the Coalition and One Nation are emerging as a coalition that is voting together day after day to platform one of the most shameful bigots in NSW.
“I am reminded of an old adage: Never wrestle with a pig, because you both get dirty – and besides, the pig loves it.”
The Premier accused the Legislative Council of unwinding reform to workers compensation and torpedoing bail law changes in NSW, as well as winding back vilification laws.
“In addition to all of that, its members are also setting up a star chamber to investigate hardworking public servants in this state,” Mr Minns said.
The Premier also referred to Mr Latham’s “disgusting homophobic attack” on independent MP Alex Greenwich.
Last year, the Federal Court ordered Mr Latham to pay Mr Greenwich $140,000 after losing a defamation battle over a homophobic tweet that crudely described a sex act. Mr Latham has appealed against the decision.
On Tuesday, Mr Latham used parliamentary privilege to reveal confidential information from a psychologist’s report prepared for the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal as part of a homosexual vilification and sexual harassment case that Mr Greenwich had brought against Mr Latham.
In response, Mr Greenwich told parliament on Wednesday that Mr Latham “thinks and talks far too much about my sex life”.
Upper House leader Penny Sharpe told the Legislative Council that she would refer Mr Latham to the privileges committee over his “unauthorised disclosure of privileged information” under the cover of parliamentary privilege.
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