Mark Latham is sued for defamation over vile tweet as Alex Greenwich takes action

Independent MP Alex Greenwich will sue Mark Latham for libel after the One Nation politician refused to apologize for a homophobic tweet.

Mr Greenwich announced on Monday that he would be taking legal action against Mr Latham and had lodged complaints with NSW Police and NSW against discrimination based on defamation.

Mr Latham has refused to apologize for a tweet he posted on March 30 that described Mr Greenwich as ‘defamatory and homophobic’.

“He followed that up with media commentary that doubled down on his attack,” Greenwich said in a statement Monday.

Mr Greenwich, who married husband Victor Hoeld in 2012, said he decided to take legal action against the politician because ‘enough is enough’ (the couple are pictured)

Mr Latham fired off his homophobic tweet after Mr Greenwich dismissed him as a ‘disgusting human being’.

Mr Greenwich was critical of Mr Latham for giving a speech in March as Christians clashed with LGBTQI activists outside St Michaels Church in Belfield, south-west Sydney.

Mr Latham replied, ‘Disgusting? How does that compare to sticking your dick in a guy’s ass and covering him in shit?”

After an uproar, the One Nation politician tweeted, “Never apologize, never explain.”

He then released a statement saying, “Sometimes insults come to you in public life, but they come back to you harder and harder… So boo-hoo Alex Greenwich.”

He tripled his comments on Chris Smith’s TNT Radio Show last week, claiming he was speaking on behalf of straight men.

Mr Latham said he felt “attacked” when Mr Greenwich called him a “disgusting” human being.

“I took it as an attack on my love for my children, my role in my community, my work in public life,” he told Smith.

In a statement on Monday, Mr Greenwich said: ‘Enough is enough.’

‘I have been openly gay in public life for 15 years and in the NSW Parliament for over 10 years, and never have I experienced such a homophobic, sexualized attack that exposed me to scorn, ridicule and extreme abuse, based on my sexuality.’

Mr Greenwich said he is taking action for young and old LGBTQIA+ people who are regularly abused.

His legal team will also approach Twitter about providing a platform that “freely allows for extreme homophobia, transphobia, racism and religious intolerance.”

Mr Greenwich (pictured) has launched defamation proceedings against Mr Latham and has lodged a complaint with NSW Police and Anti-Discrimination Australia

Mr Latham will return to parliament at the next session, having been re-elected to an eight-year term on 25 March.

NSW Prime Minister Chris Minns is pushing for a bipartisan deal to prevent the One Nation leader from being given additional powers in the new parliament.

He labeled Latham “bigorous” for his tweets, which were also criticized by Pauline Hanson and conservative commentators Ray Hadley and Andrew Bolt.

Ms Hanson, the federal leader of One Nation, urged Latham to apologize for the “disgusting” tweet, saying her party did not approve of his actions.

“I want you to know that I don’t approve of them and neither do my MPs or fellow party members. I find them disgusting,” she said.

‘I’ve actually tried to call Mark a few times, but to no avail. And I obviously texted him with my opinion.

“I asked him to apologize to the people. I’ll leave it at that. It’s now up to Mark to answer to the people.’

Mr Greenwich (pictured in March) told reporters last month that after a decade of politics and re-election he was shocked he was still a victim of homophobic abuse

Mr Greenwich, who married husband Victor Hoeld in 2012, revealed earlier this month that the tweets had moved him to tears.

“This obviously hurt me. I cried a little bit at the end of the day yesterday,” he told reporters last month.

“After ten years in this gig and being re-elected, I didn’t think I would still be a victim of homophobic abuse.”

A notice of concern regarding the procedure was sent to Mr Latham on 19 April.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mark Latham for comment.