David Leyonhjelm says former Labor leader’s views on women have suffered a degree of ‘misinterpretation’

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

The former Labor leader Mark Latham has joined the Liberal Democrats, sparking speculation a return to politics might be on the cards.

Following the action, the New South Wales ALP has banned Latham from the party for life, with Bill Shorten’s blessing.

Latham, who led the federal Labor party from 2003 until 2005, says he wants to play a role in fighting for national values, based on personal freedom and responsibility.

“I support 80-90% of the Liberal Democrats’ platform, pretty good for someone with strong views formed over a long period of time,” Latham said on Facebook.

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The Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm said a potential return to politics was “like getting married a second time – it’s a triumph of hope over experience”.

“[Mark Latham] said he had already done that – gotten married a second time – and he’s much better at it,” Leyonhjelm said. “I think there’s a thought in the back of his mind that he might like to get back into politics but he hasn’t raised that with the party.”

Leyonhjelm acknowledged Latham came with some baggage.

“He’s quite a gentleman – as a matter of fact, he and I get on very well,” he said. “We’ve got a fair bit in common but I’ve never broken a taxi driver’s arm, that’s for sure. I don’t get into blues if I can avoid it.”

The NSW branch of the Labor party has now instituted a lifetime ban on Latham to stop him trying to rejoin the party.

Shorten spoke to the NSW branch before the decision was made and backed the decision completely.

Latham was sacked as a commentator on Sky News Australia in March. He had been under fire over comments he made on-air about the sexuality of a Sydney schoolboy who appeared in a video for International Women’s Day.

He has also been criticised for remarks about fellow Sky News commentator Kristina Keneally, which she considered defamatory, and the ABC radio presenter Wendy Harmer.

Latham resigned as a columnist at the Australian Financial Review in 2015 following pressure over remarks he made about women, including anti-domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty.

Leyonhjelm insisted Latham’s controversial views on women had suffered a degree of “misinterpretation”.

“He’s a stay at home dad, he looks after his kids while his wife works, he cooks family meals, he’s a very attentive father,” Leyonhjelm said, adding that the pair were against identity politics in which people define themselves by their gender or sexuality.

Leyonhjelm said that he does not worry about the past comments of people when they join the Liberal Democrats – only when they became political candidates.