Embattled politician Mark Latham claims relationship with Nathalie Matthews was ‘sexed-up' but consensual

West Australian

7 days ago

Embattled politician Mark Latham has renewed claims his relationship with former partner Nathalie Matthews was 'sexed-up' but consensual, as he denied allegations made by his former partner.
This week, widespread reports detailed Ms Matthews' allegations that Mr Latham pressured her into 'degrading' sex acts and threw dinner plates at her.
Speaking to the media at length on Saturday in south-west Sydney, an at times belligerent Mr Latham also refused to confirm or deny allegations that he had sex in his NSW parliamentary office.
He instead responded by asking reporters if they had engaged in similar behaviour at their workplaces.
'These are matters that are private . . . I'm not making any comment on things that are private,' he said
During the lengthy press conference, he said his relationship with Ms Matthews was an 'entirely consensual arrangement between two adults'.
'One thing's abundantly clear, what we had for over two years was a sexed-up, consensual, open arrangement between adults with a fair bit of other contacts, such as fun days of the races thrown in,' he said. 'I didn't make any moral judgment about her.
'I just enjoyed our time together, and it was enjoyable for 90 per cent of the time, the other per cent could be dark and disturbing, but I rationalised it by thinking at my age — an age at which my father had already dropped dead — 90 per cent beat 10 per cent but ultimately, there was an incident that ended it all I mentioned earlier; the races.'
On the night of a contentious vote on the sale of Rosehill Racecourse in Sydney, an incident between the pair allegedly unfolded.
Mr Latham, a one-time Federal Labor leader, later leader of One Nation NSW and now an independent NSW MP, claims the incident was the 'first time in my life I'd ever been physically scared of a woman'.
He claimed Ms Matthews was 'covered in mud' and confronted him. 'This was like something from World War Z,' he said.
Responding to additional reports that he had previously photographed female MPs during parliamentary sessions and sent derogatory private messages about them, Mr Latham acknowledged he had made a 'mistake'.
'I have apologised to both Susan Carter and Abigail Boyd, and they've accepted my apology, for which I thank them both sincerely,' he said.
Mr Latham maintained that he did not breach any parliamentary standing orders and has never been formally notified of any complaints regarding his behaviour.
Ms Matthews reportedly said part of the reason she applied for a domestic violence order against him was fear that intimate videos she claims to have filmed — including one recorded in NSW Parliament House — would be made public.
Mr Latham insisted he had no knowledge of such video recordings involving him.
'I have checked my devices and I can't find any material (Ms Matthews) has filmed involving me, and that includes NSW Parliament House,' Mr Latham said.
'If she has recorded these videos, it is without my knowledge and consent, and there's a question about the legality of such a practice.'
On Saturday, Ms Matthews issued a statement saying she was 'aware' of the remarks made by Mr Latham and would make no additional comments.
'I request the privacy that I deserve whilst I go through this stressful period,' she said.
'The full story will come out in due course in the proper manner.'