Australian independent lawmaker Helen Haines was in critical condition on Monday after being deliberately struck by a car outside her office. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed that a terrorism taskforce would investigate the suspect arrested in connection with the incident.
Albanese said it was too early to establish the motive behind the attack. However, he noted that the changing nature of social media had contributed to rising tensions in politics, despite such acts of violence being extremely rare in Australia.
Victoria Police confirmed that a 43-year-old man had been arrested following the incident involving Haines in Wangaratta, located approximately three hours northeast of Melbourne by car.
The 65-year-old MP was airlifted to hospital, according to Albanese.
Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Albanese was asked whether growing political anger had increased concerns about attacks against politicians. In response, he highlighted the impact of online anonymity and the increasingly hostile tone of social media discussions.
“The concern, if you look at anyone’s social media feeds and look at the comments, people will say things that they would never say face to face. But the temperature has undoubtedly been increased. Not just here in Australia, of course. We’ve seen incidents internationally as well,” he said.
The prime minister also stressed the importance of maintaining open communication between politicians and the public, describing it as a fundamental part of Australian democracy.
He said he did not want Australia to become a country where politicians could no longer safely interact with people in everyday settings, such as supermarkets, streets, community meetings and public forums.
No further threat to the public
Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason said at a press conference that the incident posed no further threat to the public.
Earlier, Albanese expressed his support for Haines and those close to her, saying: “All of our thoughts are with Helen, her family, her friends, her team, and her community at this extremely difficult time. We are praying for her full recovery.”
Haines’ family also issued a statement on her Facebook page, thanking bystanders who provided immediate assistance, healthcare workers who treated her and police for their response.
Before entering politics, Haines worked in nursing and midwifery and later pursued an academic career. She was elected to the Australian Parliament as an independent representative for the electorate of Indi in 2019.
According to her official website, Haines has opposed several policy proposals, including measures that would increase secrecy around political donations to major parties, a proposed ban on mobile phones in immigration detention facilities, and billions of dollars in subsidies for fossil fuels.
