Independent MP Helen Haines of the Indy Party reacts while speaking to journalists in the press gallery of Parliament House on September 8, 2026 in Canberra, Australia.
Mick Tsikas | Appimage
Australian lawmaker Helen Haines was left in critical condition after being deliberately hit by a car outside her office on Monday, and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the counter-terrorism task force would investigate the arrested suspect.
Albanese said it was too early to determine a motive for the attack, but noted that the changing face of social media was raising the temperature of politics in a country where such violence is extremely rare.
Victoria Police have announced that a 43-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the attack on independent MP Mr Haines in Wangaratta, about a three-hour drive northeast of Melbourne.
Haynes, 65, was airlifted to a hospital, Albanese said.
Asked by public broadcaster ABC whether growing anger over politics had led to concerns about attacks on politicians, the prime minister cited the anonymity of online content.
“The concern is that if you look at someone’s social media feed or the comments, people will say things they would never say to their face. But there’s no doubt that temperatures are rising. It’s not just here in Australia, of course. We’re seeing incidents internationally as well,” he said.
“Here in Australia, it’s good for politicians to be able to go out into the community and engage with people. I don’t want to see a political system where you can’t have a conversation with people in the supermarket, on the street, at a street meeting, in a public place. That’s an important part of our democracy.”
No threat to the public
Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason told a news conference there was no further threat to the public from the incident.
“All our thoughts are with Helen, her family, friends, her team and her community at this very difficult time. We wish her a full recovery,” Ms Albanese told a news conference earlier.
In a post on her Facebook page, Haynes’ family said: “We would like to thank the witnesses for their quick assistance, the dedicated medical personnel who helped her, and the police response.”
Ms Haynes was elected as an independent member of the Indy Parliament in 2019 after working in the nursing and midwifery fields and as an academic.
Her website says she opposes proposals such as making political donations to major parties more secretive, banning cellphones in immigration detention centers and spending billions on fossil fuel subsidies.
