Anthony Albanese says a reported “dirt file” distributed by his office on Helen Haines just weeks before the independent MP was horrifically injured was not a personal criticism.
The Federal MP for Indi was struck on Monday afternoon outside her Wangaratta electoral office by a vehicle allegedly driven by Brendan Nugent, 43, in what police allege was a targeted attack.
The document had been circulated to journalists after Dr Haines questioned a $6 million grant given to the Marrickville Golf Club, which is in the Prime Minister’s electorate and where he was an honorary member.
Mr Albanese on Thursday morning rejected the characterisation that the document constituted a personal attack, saying instead that it was focused on policy.
“It’s a list of funding asks from Helen Haines ... just showing that people of integrity stand up for their electorate. It’s no personal criticism of Helen,” the PM told ABC radio on Thursday.
“Helen is a strategist. She’s a strong advocate for her electorate. She’s advocated for funding for projects in her electorate.”
Dr Haines’ husband Phil confirmed on Wednesday that his wife has lost both legs after undergoing surgery in Melbourne’s The Alfred Hospital, where she remains in a stable condition.
He had addressed the nation alongside Australia’s Governor-General where Sam Mostyn said the attack “must be a moment for us to pause and choose to be better”.
Mr Albanese praised the “extraordinary bravery” of Mr Haines to speak publicly and said in circumstances, he had shown strength and resilience.
As politicians come to terms with the alleged violent attack that shocked Australia, Mr Albanese was asked whether more needs to be done to step up security of elected representatives.
“We have tried a range of measures,” Mr Albanese said, when asked if more could be done.
MPs from across the political spectrum have raised serious concerns about safety since the attack and have spoken out about the constant death threats they face.
Social services Minister Tanya Plibersek said women in particular have been targeted with rape and death threats against them or their families.
WA Labor Minister Hannah Beazley on Wednesday was the alleged target of verbal threats to her staff after a man entered her Victoria Park electoral office allegedly carrying nunchucks.
Finance Minister Katy Gallagher on Thursday said she didn’t believe the attack on Dr Haines would deter women from pursuing careers in politics, describing her female colleagues as “defiant”.
The Labor frontbencher she would still encourage young women to get into public office.
“I can’t pretend that women across the parliament aren’t concerned about this. They are,” Gallagher told Nine’s Today show.
“But many of them, and all of that I’ve spoken to, are quite defiant about it too.
“We’ve found our place at the table in politics. We now need to make sure that it’s safe and that people are supported to do their job well.”
In the wake of the alleged attack politicians have also reflected on their language, with Mr Albanese also reiterating calls to “turn the temperature down”.
Videos, audio, post and written quotes from politicians harassing and criticising each other have begun to emerge.
It includes Mr Albanese yelling “smash her” to his colleague Catherine King when she was criticising a Coalition member in parliament and Housing Minister Clare O’Neil writing it was time to “smash some Liberals” on a now deleted Instagram post.
Since the attack, Curtin MP Kate Chaney said she felt “embarrassed” by the rhetoric thrown across the chamber in Question Time, while fellow Independent David Pocock has described it as a “disgrace”.
Speaking on ABC Melbourne radio on Thursday, Ms O’Neil said that Australians seemed “obsessed with conflict”.
“I feel like we live in a culture obsessed with conflict, and that is what Australians see of politics,” she said.
“That is not the whole picture. Yes, there is question time where people are very direct with each other, yes there are moments where someone at the fringes say things that shouldn’t be said.
“But did you know 80 per cent of legislation goes through with the support of nearly everyone in parliament?”
Ms O’Neil described the attack on Dr Haines as a “watershed moment” for Australia and a time to have a “reckoning for how we treat each other”.
“What has happened to her is a watershed moment for our country, and I think a moment of reckoning for how we treat each other.
“I say that not just about how we treat each other as politicians and how we think about this as a political issue.”
Mr Albanese said there were “double digit” offenders before the courts at the moment in relation to threats against himself.
The PM flagged in particular the dangers experienced online and said his government hoped to pass their Digital Duty of Care to make social media platforms safer.
“Next week, there is, I think, a very modest digital duty of care legislation before the parliament. We’ll wait and see whether it receives support,” the PM said.
The PM said he wanted big tech to play a more proactive role in taking down online threats.
“I think they need to have a responsibility to take anything down like that. That is my view,” he said.
“And we have tried to do a range of legislation … In the wake of Bondi, we had legislation about hate speech that we weren’t able to get through the parliament.
“It didn’t receive the support of either the Coalition or the Greens political party.”
Mr Nugent had made a string of posts online in relation to the Gaza war and the environment issues. He had also responded to several politicians’ posts, including Dr haines and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
Mr Nugent appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court yesterday, staring vacantly from the dock as he was remanded behind bars without applying for bail.
Dr Haines’ north-east Victorian community has been devastated by the attack, with a sea of flowers growing outside her electoral office where she was stuck loading items into the back of her car.
Hundreds of supporters also gathered for a vigil in Wodonga on Wednesday evening. A vigil had also been held in Wangaratta on Tuesday.