Helen Haines is an Australian MP and an independent. She was a nurse, midwife, and health researcher before being elected to Parliament in 2019. She often advocates for progressive policies including climate change, social welfare, and government accountability. She's also critical of Israel and the war in Gaza, although she condemned the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks and called for a release of the hostages. But she also supports sanctions against Israel, called on Australia to reconsider its ties with the nation, and advocates for a two-state solution. She's also a critic of antisemitism and condemned Hamas terrorism.
So that makes it all the more troubling that Haines was attacked by a far-left activist in what can only be described as an attempted assassination. Brendan Nugent, 43, of Tarrawingee, Victoria, was arrested after he allegedly drove his vehicle into her. Nugent has been identified as an "anti-Israel climate campaigner."
Haines has lost one leg in the attack and may lose another.
Man, 43, arrested over Australian MP car 'attack' is identified as radical anti-Israel climate campaigner - as Helen Haines remains fighting for her life 'after losing a leg' https://t.co/y9PW1aDD7s
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) October 20, 2026
The politician on Tuesday remained in a critical condition as surgeons tried to save her second leg.
Social media accounts linked to the suspect have since revealed that Nugent was an anti-Israel activist and a radical environmentalist.
Recent posts refer to the conflict in Gaza, while older posts focused on environmental issues, like logging, and referred to himself as a 'plant person'.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the nation that Ms Haines had undergone emergency surgery in Melbourne overnight following the horrific collision but remains in a critical condition.
Witnesses have claimed that a white Toyota Land Cruiser had driven past Ms Haines collecting items from the boot of her car when it made a U-turn and rammed into the politician twice.
A brave barber watching from his shop next door rushed to the MP's defence and brought the driver to the floor while Ms Haines reportedly remained pinned under the car.
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Doctors are reportedly trying to save Haines' other leg.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 20, 2026"Doctors are battling to save her second leg."
Sky's Nicole Johnston reports live from Melbourne with the latest developments following the attack on Australian MP Helen Haines. pic.twitter.com/xMn7YWqBom
"As you've said, Sophie, the most disturbing development that we've had in the last few hours really is the fact that Helen Haines has lost one of her legs," said Sky News correspondent Nicole Johnston. "She is in hospital in Melbourne where I am, about a mile from here, and the doctors are battling to save her second leg. So it's an incredibly difficult situation that she's facing right now."
The attack took place outside her political office.
— Drew Pavlou 🇦🇺🇺🇸🇺🇦🇹🇼 (@DrewPavlou) October 19, 2026BREAKING: An extremist Palestine supporter just carried out Australia's first attempted political assassination in thirty years.
Radical left-wing terrorist and Houthi supporter Brendan Nugent rammed independent MP Helen Haines with his car, shattering her lower body and… pic.twitter.com/AcH79opZVr
Sky News is also reporting the barber who stepped in to help Haines took a knife from the suspect.
The Telegraph says Nugent is a family friend.
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) October 20, 2026A man charged with ramming a car into an Australian MP was a friend of her family, his father has said.
Brendan Nugent, 43, allegedly drove his Toyota Landcruiser twice into Helen Haines outside her constituency office in Wangaratta, north-east of Melbourne, on Monday ⤵️… pic.twitter.com/abGUBT0GMA
Michael Shellenberger said politicians are already exploiting the tragedy to demand mass online censorship.
A reportedly drunk & possibly insane man attacked a member of parliament in Australia with his car. And so, naturally, a few vile politicians are exploiting the tragedy to demand mass online censorship. Decades of scientific evidence & common sense demolish their lies. THREAD
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) October 20, 2026
Shellenberger is also reporting that the driver may have been intoxicated and may be mentally ill.
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) October 20, 2026First, the driver appears to have been drunk and may be insane.
Second, his social media posts suggest he is a leftist.
So any leftist demanding censorship should demand the censorship of climate alarmism and criticisms of Israel.https://t.co/dSre4v6xfW pic.twitter.com/xfGYn1AekE
And, as we said, Nugent and Haines have similar political views.
— Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) October 20, 2026But it's all much crazier than that.
The MP who Brendan Nugent, 43, allegedly ran over, Helen Haines, "consistently voted in favour of parliamentary motions calling for consideration of Gaza and voted in favour of action on climate change."https://t.co/dSre4v5Zqo pic.twitter.com/XfBOapXvfI
Prime Minister Anthony Albenese spoke about the attack, too.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) October 19, 2026
"We are praying for her full recovery. I want to thank the first responders for their extraordinary work," Albanese said. "There is a major police investigation underway and I can confirm that 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."
"It is too early in this investigation for me to provide you with details of what the motivation is behind this attack," he continued. "My thoughts are also with those who were there in Wangaratta today, and Helen's community more broadly."
"Helen Haines is incredibly hard working. She is fiercely intelligent, but most importantly, she's just thoroughly a decent human being full of integrity and respected right across the Parliament and from everyone who comes into contact with her," Albanese said.
That's particularly ironic as Albanese's office was reportedly shopping around a baseless "dirt sheet" about Haines just weeks ago, questioning her integrity after Haines questioned a $6 million grant allocated to Albanese's local golf course.
— TheRoadknight (@RoadknightThe) October 20, 2026While the PM tells us to 'turn the heat down':
"Anthony Albanese's office circulated a dirt sheet to journalists baselessly raising questions about Helen Haines' integrity after she criticised a $6million grant allocated to the Prime Minister's local golf course."
Does anyone… https://t.co/kVc7SQGtCi pic.twitter.com/5wp52EbLHG
Nugent was charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally cause serious injury, and causing harm to a Commonwealth public official. He faces a maximum of 35 years in prison if convicted of all counts and will appear in court on Wednesday.
Haines remains in critical but stable condition, per the Daily Mail.
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