Alex Greenwich says Mark Latham accused him of ‘getting kids’ to be gay
Greenwich is also suing Latham’s comments The Daily Telegraph in an article headlined: “‘Boo-hoo’: Latham doubles down after homophobic tweet outcry.”
“If [Greenwich] “If someone calls someone a disgusting person for attending a meeting in a church hall, maybe some of their habits will draw attention,” Latham said telegraph.
“Greenwich goes into the schools and talks to kids about being gay. I didn’t want to be accused of anything similar and left such content on my social networks.”
Greenwich claims these comments also had as many as two defamatory meanings, namely that he is “a disgusting person who goes to school to get children to become homosexual” and “not the right person to be, a member of the NSW.” -To be in Parliament because He goes to school to educate children to be homosexual.”
Professor David Rolph of the University of Sydney, an expert on defamation law, said that in New South Wales “there have been cases in the past where it has been questioned whether it is defamatory to say that a person is gay engages in sexual intercourse,” but there have been no cases in recent years.
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“Societal attitudes toward homosexuality have changed significantly, if not significantly, but what is different about this case is the way the allegations are framed, emphasizing abhorrence of sexual behavior,” Rolph said.
In most parts of Australia, including New South Wales, recent reforms to defamation law also require that a person suing for defamation must show that a publication has “caused or is likely to cause serious damage to his reputation” in order to bring a lawsuit to be able to raise.
The severity test began in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT in July 2021 and in Tasmania in November of the same year.
Rolph said that “a key part of proving serious harm in this case is relying on media reports to re-publicize the allegations”.
Greenwich has made a separate complaint to NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb alleging that Latham used a carriage service to “threaten, harass or cause insult” and a homosexual slur complaint to Anti-Discrimination NSW submitted.
Federal Supreme Court Judge Anna Katzmann, who is leading the defamation case, on Thursday ordered a first hearing on case management, scheduled for Friday, to be postponed to September 25.
Katzmann also directed Greenwich to provide more details on his claim for increased damages and to issue an injunction to prevent Latham from republishing the comments. Latham is expected to file a defense by July 28.
Documents filed in court show Latham’s former attorney, Danny Eid, is no longer serving on the matter. He is now represented by Victoria-Jane Otavski of BlackBay Lawyers.
with Alexandra Smith and Michael McGowan
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