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One Nation MP Mark Latham has damaged his silence after sparking outrage with a graphic homophobic tweet.
Mr Latham on Friday evening tweeted a hyperlink to an article with the headline ‘By no means apologize, by no means clarify.
It was subtitled: “A brand new examine from Columbia College means that public figures who apologize usually tend to (be) seen as needing punishment”.
His response adopted widespread condemnation, together with NSW Premier Chris Minns labeling him a “bigot”, for a homophobic tweet aimed toward unbiased MP Alex Greenwich.
Mr Latham had posted the controversial tweet on Thursday in response to a information article a few violent protest exterior a church he spoke at in the course of the state election marketing campaign.
Within the article, unbiased MP Alex Greenwich branded Mr Latham a “disgusting human being” who posed a threat to the state.
“Disgusting?” Mr Latham wrote earlier than making a graphic and homophobic description of intercourse acts.
Mr Latham later deleted the tweet, however its content material invited broad criticism, together with from the federal chief of One Nation, Pauline Hanson, and conservative commentators Ray Hadley and Andrew Bolt.
“I feel that they are vile and shameful feedback and I feel (Mr Latham) revealed himself to be a bigot,” the premier mentioned on the Lifeline Worldwide President’s Lunch in Sydney on Friday.
Mr Greenwich was an “terribly efficient” politician who “manages to raise the dialog and make main modifications within the state,” Mr Minns mentioned.
“One of many issues that may’t be forgotten is that feedback like this, although in and of themselves they’re horrible, they unleash ghouls on folks like Alex.
“It isn’t what we’d like in public life.
“There must be an unambiguous and common condemnation of those feedback,” he mentioned.
The tweet was additionally referred to as disgusting by Transport Minister Jo Haylen, who mentioned she didn’t suppose the NSW One Nation chief was as much as his job.
“In fact he ought to apologize nevertheless it’s Mark Latham. I do not suppose anybody must be holding their breath.
“Personally I do not suppose he’s match for public workplace.”
The homophobic assault briefly introduced Mr Greenwich to tears on Thursday, the favored Sydney MP instructed reporters.
“This has clearly been hurtful for me. I had a little bit of a cry late yesterday on the finish of the day,” he instructed reporters on Friday.
“After being on this gig for a decade and getting re-elected, I did not suppose I might nonetheless be subjected to homophobic abuse.”
Nevertheless, Mr Greenwich refused to name for Mr Latham to apologize or resign.
“I do not wish to give him one other soapbox for him to fake to be a sufferer when he seeks to victimise folks.”
Mr Greenwich expressed concern on Friday that nobody had heard from the higher home MP for 24 hours and “at a really human stage, I hope he is OK”.
-AAP
