Watch: 'Helen Haines is a thoroughly decent human being,' Australia PM says
ByJacob Phillips
Australian MP Helen Haines has been taken to hospital with critical injuries after she was struck by a car, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called "a deliberate act".
Haines was hit near an office in Wangaratta, north-east of Melbourne on Monday afternoon local time.
Albanese said counter-terrorism police are involved in the investigation.
Who is the suspect?
Haines was struck by a White Toyota Landcruiser, which was driven by a 43-year-old Tarrawingee man, Victoria Police said.
The suspect was arrested at the scene by a passer-by before being taken into custody by officers, it added.
A knife was also seized from inside the Toyota, the force said.
Victoria Police said it was unknown whether the suspect and Haines knew each other and its investigation remains ongoing.
Who is Helen Haines?
Haines is a 65-year-old Independent MP for the Indi division in Victoria, south-eastern Australia.
She grew up in the south west of Victoria on a dairy farm with four brothers before training as a nurse and a midwife, according to a biography on her website.
It goes on to say she became the matron of the Chiltern Bush Nursing Hospital in Victoria when she was 26, before later completing a master's degree in public health and a PhD in Medical Science while raising her three children and working. She lives with her family on a small cattle farm outside Wangaratta.
The MP was first elected to the Australian House of Representatives in 2019 and was re-elected in 2022 and 2025.
Where did the incident happen?
Haines's family said the incident happened outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, a city of about 30,000 people, a few hours north-east of Melbourne in the state of Victoria.
Police said she was hit outside an office on Murphy Street at about 15:35 local time (05:35 BST).
What level of threat is there to Australia's politicians?
Albanese appeared close to tears during a live television interview on ABC's 7.30 programme when he was asked if Australian politicians talk among themselves about the threats and risks they face.
"Yes," he replied, adding: "My concern at this point in time is for one, one of my colleagues."
He later described how there had been a "rise in temperature" and "too much shouting, not enough discourse" in Australia.
Speaking in a news conference, Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said there had been an increase in reports of harassing and threatening behaviour towards lawmakers in the 2025-26 financial year, compared with 951 for the previous year.
What has the reaction been?
Paying tribute to Haines during a news conference, Albanese described her as "incredibly hard-working".
"She is fiercely intelligent but most importantly she is just a thoroughly decent human being full of integrity and respected right across the Parliament and from everyone who comes into contact with her", he added.
He said the attack will come as an "incredible shock" to her community.
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong described the incident as a "shocking and deeply disturbing attack".
The Premier of Victoria Ben Carroll said he was "deeply appalled" by the "violent attack".
Meanwhile, Australia's opposition leader Angus Taylor said he was "deeply saddened and distressed" by the attack.
"This is a shocking day for our nation," he said. "No-one should be targeted in this way."