Politics
Australian MP Helen Haines critically hurt outside Wangaratta office; driver arrested
Independent lawmaker Helen Haines was hospitalized with critical injuries after a vehicle struck her outside her district office in Victoria. Authorities are investigating whether the collision was deliberate, while the prime minister said it appeared to be an intentional act.
Australian independent lawmaker Helen Haines was critically injured Monday when a Toyota Land Cruiser struck her outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, in the state of Victoria, police said. The 65-year-old was taken to hospital, and the 43-year-old driver was arrested at the scene by a passerby.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a national counterterrorism team involving police and intelligence agencies was investigating. He told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the collision appeared deliberate, but said authorities did not yet know the motive.
Police said they were investigating whether the incident was intentional. Officers also seized a knife found inside the vehicle, according to a police statement. The driver was expected to be interviewed.
Haines was first elected to Parliament in 2019. The attack has renewed concerns about lawmakers’ safety in Australia, where elected officials have traditionally been accessible to the public and often work without security officers.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said in 2025 that threats against parliamentarians had doubled over the previous three years. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Monday that police recorded more than 1,000 threats against politicians during the 2025-26 financial year.
Albanese said the political climate had become more polarized, with too much shouting and too little respectful disagreement. He also pointed to social media as a factor. Investigators had not publicly identified a motive in the attack.