ZingSync

Former Labor leader Mark Latham has finally clarified what he meant when he cryptically referred to the “unique circumstances” surrounding the demise of his second marriage.

The former Labor MP turned One Nation MLC had been married to his wife Janine Lacy, a local magistrate and the mother of his two sons, for over twenty years.

His Facebook post sparked wild speculation in the NSW Parliament over the last 48 hours as even MPs rang journalists demanding to know what on earth he meant.

“In 2000 I married Janine and I thank her for the happy and loving years we shared together,” he said.

“But now it has ended (in rather unique circumstances).”

But those “unique circumstances” appear to be far more pedestrian than some people feverishly imagined.

Mr Latham edited the post at 4.56pm yesterday to clear up the questions.

“Just to clarify: ‘In rather unique circumstances’ was a reference to the challenges of Covid-19 and its Lockdown restrictions,” he wrote.

“There were no third parties. Janine and I remain on good terms, working cooperatively in the best interests of our children.”

Mr Latham was married to his first wife Gabrielle Gwyther in the 1990s.

She subsequently provided unflattering quotes to newspapers after he became Labor leader suggesting that he was spoiled by his mother as a child and was treated like royalty in the family.

“How else can you grow up thinking you were God’s gift to the universe,’’ she said.

In his best-selling book, The Latham Diaries, Mr Latham hit back complaining about his ex-wife and the journalists who wrote about her.

“It is as awful as I had imagined,’’ he wrote in a July, 2004 entry.

“I got to the end of it and couldn’t decide what it reminded me of most: a long Gwyther therapy session of a long Penthouse Forum letter.

“An amazing piece of journalism that tries to fit me up as a lech and a pervert, but never provides any hard evidence; it just skates around the issue with titbits of soft porn.”

The article in question involved his first wife complaining he played a porn video called Freaks of Nature at a family event as a joke.

“Her good Christian family was upset when the Freaks of Nature video was screened at her 30th birthday party,’’ he recounts.

“And no, they weren’t five-legged horses on screen, it was a porno. She blames me for it. But this is what happened,’’ he said, before recounting that he had asked a restaurant owner to “jazz up” the videos at the establishment before the owner went next door to grab the blue movie.

However, Mr Latham was admirably restrained in his own public comments at the time, suggesting that “these things happen, they don’t worry me and Gabrielle’s her own person and makes her own call,’’ he said.

Mr Latham went on to say in his recent Facebook post that he and his second wife were committed to co-parenting their children.

“My priority now is my love for and dedication to the best interests of my children.

“And moving on with my life and continued public service, particularly the forthcoming NSW election.

“I also wish Janine well. I will not be making any media comment on this matter.”

In a further post to his Facebook page, he thanked supporters for the kind messages sent through in response to the post.

“It’s really nice that people care this way,” he said.

“Please don’t worry, I’m fine and heading into Macquarie Street for the parliamentary week ahead.”

Three years ago Mr Latham’s wife was appointed as a magistrate in the NSW local court.

She has previously thanked her husband, who spent time at a home caring for his sons when they were younger, for his support in forging a successful career as a lawyer.

“Mark has always been an extraordinary supporter of my endeavours and my ­career,” she said

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