The MP for Indi, Helen Haines, is in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being hit by a car in an alleged attack. Follow live updates. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/EPA
The MP for Indi, Helen Haines, is in a critical but stable condition in hospital after being hit by a car in an alleged attack. Follow live updates. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/EPA
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.
Police are expected to interview the suspect in the alleged attack this morning.
A local barber 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.
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.
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 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.
The Australian federal police commissioner, Krissy Barrett. Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP
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:
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.
New Zealand PM offers thoughts and prayers for Haines
New Zealand’s prime minister, Christopher Luxon, described the alleged attack on Helen Haines as a “terrible set of circumstances” and said he had corresponded with his counterpart, Anthony Albanese.
[This is] a concerning development in Australia for sure.
Luxon said he was not concerned a similar alleged attack would take place in New Zealand, which will hold its general election in November. The country had found a balance between keeping politicians accessible to the public and had lifted security efforts in recent years, he said.
Asio boss warns about ‘violent rhetoric in public discourse’
The Asio director general, Mike Burgess, has acknowledged the “horrific” alleged attack on Helen Haines.
In a statement, Burgess said:
Victoria police are working to establish the motivation for this attack, including whether the incident was politically motivated.
Elevated levels of grievance, intolerance and polarisation continue to create a permissive environment of violence.
I have repeatedly put on the record my concern about the use of violent rhetoric in public discourse.
Words matter.
Mike Burgess. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
He noted the incident involving Haines occurred in an environment where politically motivated violence has been more likely than in previous years:
By all means disagree, but consider how you disagree. By all means protest, but consider how you protest. By all means criticise elected officials, but consider how you criticise elected officials.
Politically motivated violence was among Australia’s principal security concerns when Asio raised the national terrorism threat level in August 2024, Burgess said.
Outside The Alfred in Melbourne’s inner south-east, where Helen Haines underwent surgery last night, it is fairly quiet.
Runners and people walking dogs are making their way through the nearby park.
Out the front of the hospital, there’s a growing press pack with TV reporters doing crosses to the morning news shows.
The hospital has not indicated whether there will be a press conference this morning, but we will update you if and when it happens.
Earlier, the hospital said Haines remains in a critical condition.
The press pack outside the Alfred hospital. Melbourne. Independent federal MP for Indi, Dr Helen Haines, is in a critical condition at The Alfred hospital. Photograph: Josh Taylor
Lidia Thorpe shares tribute to Haines, shares daily fears of being in public eye
Senator for VictoriaLidia Thorpe says HelenHaines is a “genuinely lovely person” and shared her own concerns about her safety as a parliamentarian.
She told ABC Radio Melbourne host Raf Epstein:
If people like Helen Haines are being [allegedly] attacked, then no one’s safe.
Thorpe says she has received abuse since being elected MP for the Victorian state seat of Northcote back in 2017. She says she worries for her personal safety daily and reveals that she sometimes wears a disguise when in public.
Thorpe adds says she has previously been told by the AFP not to go home because it was too unsafe.
To see other politicians being [allegedly] attacked like this, it’s like, where do we cross the line? What kind of country are we becoming with so much hate?
Barber who stopped alleged attacker speaks from Wangaratta
Cait Kelly
The Main Street of Wangaratta is quiet, aside from a large media throng outside MP Helen Haines’ office. The front door is starting to fill up with cards and flowers as community members leave messages for a quick recovery.
Local barber Ricky Jefferies, whose shop is next door to Haines’ office, had just finished cutting a young family’s hair when the car hit Haines at about 3.30pm on Monday. He said there was a loud crash and he ran to help. He said:
A lot of people got involved immediately, and they didn’t even check the danger; they just ran to help.
The driver was still in the car, the car was still on, and … a man sat in front of the moving car.
I had no choice but to take him out of the car because it was the right and safest thing to do.
Barber Ricky Jefferies speaks to the media. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images
Jefferies said he held the man down, telling him he couldn’t leave, but he would be alright, trying to calm him down while others helped Haines. Jefferies alleged he had a knife on him, which he took off.
He [allegedly] did have a knife. He didn’t pull it out. Basically just … took it out of his pocket and threw it away.
Jefferies, who was back at work cutting hair at 7am on Tuesday, said he doesn’t want to be seen as a hero, and that like all of the community, he is praying Haines recovers quickly.
No one’s job should put them at risk. I can tell you from my own personal dealings that she is a genuine, kind person.
Tributes and flowers are seen for independent federal MP Helen Haines at her electoral office in Wangaratta. Photograph: James Ross/AAP
Democracy Counts organisation ‘deeply saddened’ by incident
The independent organisation Democracy Counts, whose work focuses on driving independence, integrity and transparency in politics, is “shocked and deeply saddened” by the news that Helen Haines has been critically injured.
Our democracy only works if decent people with character, commitment, compassion and capability are willing to put their hand up to serve their communities by representing them. If this incident is shown to have been a politically motivated attack, it will be an attack on democracy itself.
We must do more to ensure parliamentarians are safe in their work, and reflect on the culture that is driving dangerously undemocratic behaviour.
Members of the public have placed flowers outside the office of Helen Haines. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images
Mark Butler calls for greater tolerance in political life
Here’s more from the federal health minister, Mark Butler, who spoke to Sunrise about a “huge increase in hate and intolerance” in public commentary:
It’s not just here in Australia, we’re seeing this around the world, but that hate could turn into violence.
There have been warnings about this for some time now: the need to turn the temperature down and for us all to be a little bit more tolerant of each other.
The health minister, Mark Butler, has told the Today show that “it’s hard to imagine a more gentle, compassionate, decent member of parliament than Helen”.
I’m not sure I’ve ever heard her raise her voice, and I can’t say that about many MPs. The debate can be very vigorous, but from Helen it’s always incredibly respectful.
Butler said given her experience as a nurse and midwife, along with her doctorate in public health, he works with Haines more than many other of his parliamentary colleagues and values her expertise.
I can only imagine the shock and distress that Helen’s family are feeling right now as they wait for news about her surgery overnight, also her community, her staff, her friends.
This is incredibly confronting, and we’re all waiting for what we hope will be positive news about Helen’s very serious injuries.
Health minister Mark Butler. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
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.
Police are expected to interview the suspect in the alleged attack this morning.
A local barber 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.