Libertarian MP John Ruddick has pledged to launch a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for Mark Latham’s $1million legal bill, after he was found to have defamed Sydney MP Alex Greenwich in a graphic and homophobic tweet.
‘If Mark Latham is forced into bankruptcy, I’ll start a GoFundMe,’ Ruddick told Chris Smith on 2SM radio on Thursday morning.
‘I’m going to ask 10,000 people to pay $100, that’s a million dollars. And if there’s anything left over, we’ll throw a big Mark Latham party.’
Latham, now an Independent MLC, was ordered to pay $140,000 in damages and an estimated $600,000 in legal costs following a Federal Court ruling in 2024.
Any sitting MP who is declared bankrupt is required to vacate their seat under the NSW Constitution.
Ruddick praised Latham as ‘a giant of the NSW Legislative Council’ in the wake of an unfolding scandal over lewd text messages he sent to his former partner Nathalie Matthews, some allegedly sent from the Parliament floor.
‘Half the country wanted him to be Prime Minister not that long ago,’ he said.
‘In state Parliament, there’s a lot of technical stuff, Mark is across it all. He’s making a serious, valuable contribution.’
Mark Latham (pictured with ex-partner Nathalie Matthews) may need to cough up $1million in legal bills, following a defamation case brought forward by Independent MP Alex Greenwich
Libertarian MP John Ruddick (pictured) has vowed to start a GoFundMe to prevent Latham from going bankrupt, which would force Latham out of NSW Parliament
Ruddick also praised Latham’s sharp debating style, deep understanding of legislation, and ability to command attention in the chamber.
‘When Mark gets up, everyone stops what they’re doing. They listen,’ he said.
In a separate interview with Chris Smith on 2SM on Wednesday, Latham confirmed he had sent the messages, but denied it had impacted his work.
‘The big news is I had a private life,’ he said.
‘I had a sex life, and I’ve got to say it was fantastic.’
‘If I’m the only person in Australia who in a work environment engaged in a bit of playful sex talk with their partner, then I’ll buy everyone a lottery ticket tomorrow.’
Latham said ‘basically none’ of Matthews’ claims were true and stressed that NSW Police had not granted her request for an AVO.
Matthews has lodged a private AVO application, which remains before the courts.
Latham told 2SM radio host Chris Smith that he had sent the explicit messages, but denied it had impacted on his work (he is pictured during a parliamentary inquiry meeting in 2023)
Sex worker Carly Electric (pictured) has claimed Latham and Ms Matthews contacted her ‘out of nowhere’ earlier this year for what she suspected was for a threesome
‘Just about all the things she is complaining about, she initiated in consensual arrangements,’ Latham alleged, noting their last contact was on May 27.
Ms Matthews claims the one-time federal opposition leader inflicted ‘a sustained pattern’ of psychological, financial and emotional abuse against her for three years.
The former federal Labor leader has categorically denied he ‘abuses women’ and insisted all his dealings with Ms Matthews were entirely consensual.
It is not suggested the claims of abusive behaviour are substantiated, only that allegations have been made.
Meanwhile, a sex worker has come forward with bombshell claims that Latham and his then-girlfriend contacted her for a threesome that never eventuated.
Carly Electric claimed the pair contacted her ‘out of nowhere’ earlier this year for what she suspected was for a threesome.
‘She (Ms Matthews) just came out of nowhere and it’s like they were love bombing me … each of them separately landed in my DMs,’ she told the Daily Telegraph.
Latham described Ms Electric as a ‘good rooter’.
‘Multi-skilled. Comedian. Race lover. Keen rooter. Exactly our sort of person!’ he said.
He also joked if she might want to be involved in a ‘freak off’, a another term used by infamous rapper Sean Diddy Coombs for a threesome.
Latham is yet to address the latest claims.
