NSW One Nation leader Mark Latham’s lawyer has labelled defamation action brought by Independent MP Alex Greenwich an "absolute try-on", and says the case will be defended.
The Sydney MP recently announced he would sue Mr Latham over a "defamatory and homophobic" tweet posted in March.
Mr Greenwich had issued a concerns notice, and gave the former federal Labor leader a May 17 deadline to apologise for the post, which has since been deleted.
The ABC has chosen not to publish the contents of the tweet.
Mr Latham's lawyers then wrote to Mr Greenwich to inform him the situation would not be resolved outside of court.
"This is not a process I enter into lightly, and a process I wish I didn't have to engage in," Mr Greenwich said in a statement.
"However, Mr Latham's homophobic, sexualised attack has exposed me to contempt, ridicule and extreme abuse, based on my sexuality, and demands actions."
Mr Greenwich said he also reported Mr Latham to police for using a carriage service to menace, harass or offend, and lodged a complaint of sexual harassment to NSW's anti-discrimination board.
On Monday, Mr Latham's solicitor Danny Eid was asked whether his client would be defending the claim.
"Definitely, defend the defamation," he said.
"That’s an absolute try-on."
Mr Latham this month said he also reported Mr Greenwich to police, saying his political opponent had "attacked all aspects of my life" in an earlier tweet.
He was referring to Mr Greenwich calling him a "disgusting human being" in response to a violent incident outside a church in Sydney's south-west, where the One Nation figure spoke at a function.
Mr Latham said he did not condone any violence, and claimed Mr Greenwich "misused his carriage services in his attacks on me".
"Accordingly, I have today reported these matters to the NSW Police urging an urgent investigation into the carriage service offences," he wrote on May 17.
Mr Eid spoke after representing the right-wing politician at the Downing Centre Local Court, as a charge of using a mobile phone while driving was dropped.
The NSW One Nation leader did not appear for the brief hearing before a registrar.
"They've considered the matter very closely and determined the most appropriate course is to withdraw," Mr Eid said outside court.
"And I tend to agree."
Mr Eid said his client was "relieved" the matter was behind him.
