Broadcaster terminates contract of former Labor leader after comments about fellow presenters and schoolchildren

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Mark Latham has been sacked by Sky News Australia after a series of controversial remarks provoked a chorus of calls for his dismissal.

His termination was confirmed by the Sky News political editor, David Speers, live on air and on Twitter.

Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) #BREAKING Sky News has ended the contract of contributor Mark Latham following a number of controversies surrounding his comments. #agenda pic.twitter.com/bD6LhK9Z5U

“Sky News has ended the contract of contributor Mark Latham,” Speers said. “This follows a number of controversies in relation to his comments around Kristina Keneally, Wendy Harmer and indeed the story that’s been doing the rounds on a lot of news sites today in relation to some SBS students and a video they made for International Women’s Day.”



Angelos Frangopoulos, the chief executive and managing editor of Sky, said on Twitter that while the channel welcomed “strong opinions” it prided itself on offering them in a “civil and respectful manner”.



Angelos Frangopoulos (@frangopoulos) I have today advised Mark Latham that his contract has been terminated.

Angelos Frangopoulos (@frangopoulos) While we support strong opinions and robust arguments we pride ourselves in doing so in a civil and respectful manner.

Latham, a former federal Labor leader, was given his own political chatshow, Outsiders, but his outspoken comments proved too much for Sky.

Last week another Sky News host, Kristina Keneally, lodged a formal complaint with the broadcaster after Latham attacked her on air, calling her a “Yankee sheila” and a “protege of Eddie Obeid”.

Several of Latham’s Sky News colleagues said privately they were relieved he had been sacked because he gave the network a bad name and management had to take a stand.



Latham’s latest victim was the 15-year-old daughter of the Reserve Bank governor, Philip Lowe, whom he called a privileged child who didn’t care about the disadvantaged.

The TV commentator made the attack on his Outsiders program, which he co-hosts with the former Liberal MP Ross Cameron and the Spectator’s editor, Rowan Dean.

Latham was already under investigation by management for attacking Keneally and another fellow Sky host, Peter van Onselen, on air, along with the ABC broadcaster Harmer.

The episode Keneally objected to, which is no longer available on Sky’s catch-up service, is the same one in which he made derogatory comments about Harmer, who called on Sky to discipline Latham or she would cancel her Foxtel subscription.

His sacking marks the second time Latham has lost a media job because of his outspoken comments.

He left his job as a columnist on the Australian Financial Review in August 2015 after using Twitter to attack Australian of the year, Rosie Batty, and the journalists Anne Summers, Leigh Sales, Lisa Pryor, Mia Freedman and Annabel Crabb.

He later tweeted: “The Dismissal: The AFR has sacked poor Latho, who has retired to Mt Hunter Lodge for a rump steak (medium-rare). Maintain The Page.”

Latham returned to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon to rant about the latest controversy, the first time he has tweeted in 18 months. He referred to scandal as being whipped up by the “outrage industry”.

“Outrage industry totally confected: no reaction to Outsiders as it aired, yet 2-3 weeks later reheating BS offenderati. Complete fraud,” he said.