The publisher of Mark Latham's political memoir said it was "very distressing" to witness his abusive outbursts on a writing panel at the weekend, describing it as "really watching a man sort of fall apart before you".

A Melbourne Writers Festival event featuring Mr Latham on Saturday turned sour after the former Labor leader became aggressive and unleashed expletive-laden tirades on interviewer Jonathan Green and several audience members.

Louise Adler, CEO of Melbourne University Publishing and publisher of the 2005 memoir The Latham Diaries, was in the audience and said she was "still recovering" from the episode.

"I felt abused, he was abusive of the audience, certainly abusive of his interlocutor Jonathan Green, a terrible hour for us all to endure," she said while speaking as a panellist on ABC's Q&A program on Monday night.

"One can feel compassion or not for him, I felt as someone who I worked with, very upset for him.

"He was absolutely enraged, he was obsessive, he was paranoid, he was teary; it was really watching a man sort of fall apart before you."

Ms Adler said she did not think his behaviour at the weekend was a true representation of him, saying "I wasn't sure that it was the genuine person".

She went on to describe him as a "complex individual" who was "not easy to deal with".

Mr Latham resigned from his positions as a columnist with the Fairfax Media-owned Australian Financial Review and commentator with radio 3AW's Drive program last week.

His resignation came amid reports of a controversial Twitter account in his name posting abusive tweets targeted at prominent Australian women including transgender military official Catherine McGregor and domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty. He has refused to confirm whether he was behind the account.

Mr Latham has made disparaging comments about both Ms McGregor and Ms Batty in past columns published in the Australian Financial Review.

A handful of audience members were seen walking out of the Melbourne Writers Festival event and the festival tweeted it was "disappointed" by Mr Latham's performance.

At various points, Mr Latham called Mr Green an "ABC wanker" and a "deviant," and called actor Max Gillies, who is married to Ms Adler, a "lard arse", urging him to "piss off" after he urged Mr Latham to stop the abuse.

Mr Latham also defended his use of swear words to one audience member.

"This is how I talk in the western suburbs of Sydney in the pub, with my mates at sporting events. And if you don't like it you can f--- off," he said.

"What's wrong with a bit of unfiltered conversation and the word f--- and c---?"