By Michelle Grattan
The independent member for Indi, Helen Haines, is in a critical condition after being struck by a car outside her Wangaratta electorate office on Monday, with a 43-year-old man arrested.
Haines, 65, was struck at 3:35pm by a white Toyota Landcrusier in Murphy Street, when she was standing at the boot of her car.
A man was apprehended at the scene by a bystander and then taken into custody by police.
Police found a knife inside the vehicle.
After being treated at North East Health Wangaratta Hospital Haines was air-lifted to the Alfred hospital in Melbourne, arriving about 7.30 pm.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke spoke at a 7 pm news conference in Sydney.
Albanese said: “A suspect is in custody. The Australian Federal Police, Victorian Police, and ASIO are working together on this. The Joint Counter Terrorism Team has been activated, but the motive is not known.”
He said he had spoken with Victorian Premier Ben Carroll and been briefed by AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett.
“It is too early in this investigation for me to provide you with details of what the motivation is behind this attack,” Albanese said.
He later told the ABC the Joint Counter Terrorism Team would “be going through their forensic work, trying to establish a motivation”.
“Interviews will take place with the person concerned, and they’ll be […] looking as well, as they do, to check if there are any linkages there.”
Haines has been in parliament since 2019, when she succeeded independent Cathy McGowan in the north east Victorian regional seat. She has been especially active on integrity issues and on Monday issued a statement welcoming the announcement of a new head of the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The Prime Minister said that Haines was incredibly hardworking, fiercely intelligent “but most importantly, she’s just a thoroughly decent human being, full of integrity and respected right across the parliament and from everyone who comes into contact with her.
“She is a well-loved member of her community, and this will come as an incredible shock to that community. Our thoughts remain with Helen Haines at this very difficult time.”
A statement from Victoria Police said “at this stage, police are investigating as to whether this was an intentional act” and “it is not known yet if the parties are known to each other”.
Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason said police were treating the attack as an isolated incident: “I can provide some assurance to the community that we certainly do not have any intelligence that there is any further or ongoing threat to any other person or the broader community.”
According to reports from bystanders at the scene, a man in an SUV turned his car around to drive towards Haines, who was trapped between the vehicles.
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll said in a statement: “I am deeply appalled by this violent attack on Helen Haines.
My thoughts — and the thoughts of all Victorians — are with Helen, her family, her friends, her colleagues and her community.
I know how devastating this will be for the Wangaratta community and all those who Helen represents.
Albanese said he did not personally know of any specific threat against Haines but “what we do know is that the temperature has increased in recent times”.
“We can have political debate in a respectful way. We can have differences. They should be debated out in a democracy, but they shouldn’t be the subject of personal rancour and the calling into [question] people’s motivation where it’s not appropriate to do so.”
Burke told the joint news conference in the year before last, there were 951 reports of harassing and threatening behaviour “against various high office holders”, while in the more recent financial year that figure had risen to 1,067.
Albanese briefed Opposition Leader Angus Taylor. Taylor said: “I’m praying for Helen and thinking of her family and loved ones.
“This is a shocking day for our nation. No one should be targeted in this way. Australians will be angry and appalled by the attack on Helen outside her electorate office in Wangaratta.
I’ve spoken with the Prime Minister, and we are united in our view that political violence must never be accepted as part of public life.”
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson in statement said: “Violence against any elected representative, whoever they are and whatever they stand for, is never acceptable in Australia. Members of parliament and their staff must be able to serve their communities without fearing for their safety.”
Haines’ family said in a statement:
This afternoon, our beloved Helen was involved in an incident outside her Wangaratta Electorate Office, and is receiving medical care. We thank the swift assistance of bystanders and the dedicated health workers who assisted her, and police for their response.
Our family, and Helen’s staff, will be making no further comment at this time, and ask that their privacy be respected by the public and media.
Please keep Helen in your thoughts.
Michelle Grattan is a Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra. This article was first published by The Conversation
