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From 5h ago What we know so far Here are some of the developments we’ve heard since this morning: The federal independent MP for Indi, Helen Haines , is in a critical condition after being struck by a car outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, Victoria, at about 3.35pm on Monday. She has been taken to Melbourne’s Alfred hospital, where she underwent surgery overnight. A 43-year-old man from Tarrawingee is in custody, and the alleged attack is being investigated by the Australian federal police, Asio and the joint counter-terror taskforce.
The motive is not yet known. A knife was allegedly found in his car after he was detained by a passerby when he got out of his vehicle. The home affairs minister, Tony Burke , has said witnesses described the driver as allegedly doing a U-turn before ramming into Haines twice.
Police are expected to interview the suspect in the alleged attack this morning. Local barber Ricky Jefferies has been praised for stepping in to apprehend the alleged attacker. Politicians across the political spectrum including the prime minister, Anthony Albanese , the opposition leader, Angus Taylor , and fellow independents have sent well-wishes to Haines.
Asio boss, Mike Burgess, has issued a warning about "violent rhetoric in public discourse” while AFP commissioner, Krissy Barrett, has said the police are working with Victorian counterparts to identify potential charges. Key events 2h ago Haines’ alleged attacker has been named as Brendan Nugent 3h ago Asio boss warns about ‘violent rhetoric in public discourse’ 4h ago Lidia Thorpe shares tribute to Haines, shares daily fears of being in public eye 4h ago Barber who stopped alleged attacker speaks from Wangaratta 5h ago What we know so far 6h ago Haines in critical but stable condition after being rammed twice in alleged attack: Burke 7h ago Helen Haines still in critical condition: Albanese 7h ago Anthony Albanese: 'This is a tragic situation' 8h ago Welcome State and local government representatives across the Indi electorate have released a joint statement condemning the violent attack on Helen Haines . double quotation mark Our thoughts are with Helen, her family, her staff, and all those affected by this deeply distressing incident. We are each affected.
Helen represents the best of public service. Her commitment to integrity, her respectful engagement in debate, and her sense of democracy and peace are the example we should aspire to. The statement, signed by Victorian members Tim McCurdy , Bill Tilley , Cindy McLeish and Annabelle Cleeland , along with the mayors of nine local councils said personal threats, intimidation and acts of violence had no place in our democracy.
“ We will not allow intimidation to silence public voices. Decency still outweighs division, and our communities reject hatred, violence, and fear,” the statement said. Allow Facebook content?
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Prime minister meets police commissioners and politicians in Melbourne The prime minister, Anthony Albanese , has met AFP commissioner, Krissy Barrett , and her Victorian counterpart, Mike Bush , in Melbourne after the alleged attack on Helen Haines. The home affairs minister, Tony Burke , and the Victorian premier, Ben Carroll , also attended. Krissy Barrett, centre, with Anthony Albanese, Tony Burke, Ben Carroll, Mike Bush and the Victorian police minister, Paul Edbrooke.
Photograph: Con Chronis/AAP Paul Daley If the increasingly vituperative tenor of our public discourse, online and verbal, has fully trailed America’s into the murky dungeon of political violence with the appalling alleged attack on Helen Haines, Australia’s political class has only itself to blame. Read more: Cait Kelly Nationals MP says office did not feel threatened by Brendan Nugent Victorian Nationals MP Tim McCurdy said the alleged attacker, Brendan Nugent, was known to his Wangaratta office and regularly came in to raise different issues. McCurdy said: double quotation mark We get plenty of people come in, half a dozen a day come for various things.
So yes, he’s been into our office, [to raise] various issues. Our office didn’t feel threatened by him. If they had, they would ring the police.
I want to wish Helen all the best. Kat Wong I’m going to hand over coverage to my colleague Petra Stock , who will take you through further updates throughout the afternoon. Haines’ alleged attacker has been named as Brendan Nugent Helen Haines’ alleged attacker has been named as 43-year-old Brendan Nugent, Guardian Australia has confirmed.
Nugent is a long-term forestry campaigner in the state’s north east. Environment campaigners who worked with Nugent several years ago have expressed shock at his arrest. He has a master’s of forest ecosystems science from the University of Melbourne and spent years researching the forestry industry in Victoria .
He has also been a registered business owner in Wangaratta. Read more: Prayer vigil to be held for Helen Haines Wangaratta locals will unite to pray for the independent MP in a lunchtime vigil at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral. In a social media post, the Anglican Diocese of Wangaratta says the event is an opportunity for the community to “come together to reflect, have silence, and to pray for Helen, her family and her close friends”. double quotation mark Our time together is an important act of solidarity with Helen and a sign of peace and goodwill for all people.
Haines remains in a critical condition. Calls for non-violence as Greens leader pays tribute to Helen Haines The Greens leader, David Shoebridge , has called Helen Haines a “powerful voice for compassion and humanity” and said the notion she could be allegedly targeted for her work is “horrifying, senseless and shameful”. In a statement, he says: double quotation mark I believe in politics centred on peace and non-violence because normalising violence in our civil and political debate lowers the threshold for violence.
We cannot let [alleged] political violence become the norm and I believe that politics grounded in non-violence is a powerful way to address this threat. AFP and Victorian police working to identify potential charges The Australian federal police commissioner, Krissy Barrett , said in a statement a 43-year-old man from Tarrawingee in Victoria remains in custody and confirmed the event appears to be an “isolated incident”, with no known threats connected to the matter. double quotation mark Victoria police and the AFP are working to identify potential charges, such as the offence of causing harm to a commonwealth official, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment. Barrett said the AFP had announced the establishment of a “flying squad of hate disrupters” who focus on high-harm, high-impact politically motivated violence, communal violence and hate crimes that do not meet the threshold for terrorism and investigates threats against federal parliamentarians.
The Australian federal police commissioner, Krissy Barrett. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP double quotation mark The AFP provides regularly briefings to parliamentarians about their safety and security, and further briefings will be undertaken soon. The AFP’s thoughts are with Dr Haines and her family at this time.
Between 2024 and 2025, the AFP received 951 reports of harassing, nuisance, offensive and threatening behaviour against high office holders, federal parliamentarians, electorate offices and protected establishments. This increased to 1,067 reports the following year. Benita Kolovos Jacinta Allan issues first statement since quitting politics on Helen Haines Former Victorian premier Jacinta Allan has issued her first statement since quitting politics in August, describing Helen Haines as an “outstanding representative for regional Victoria” who has “worked hard every day for her community”.
She said she was “sickened by the [alleged] attack” and that Haines should have been safe doing her job: double quotation mark Helen was [allegedly] attacked at work, she was doing her job. All members of parliament and their staff deserve to be safe at work. Violence as a substitute for debate must be repudiated at every turn, rejected and condemned unequivocally – by everyone, every time.
Source: The Guardian
