‘Deliberate’ car ramming of Australian MP an isolated incident, police say

A 43-year-old antheral accused of deliberately hitting Helen Haines extracurricular her bureau remains successful constabulary custody.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) person said the alleged targeting of autarkic lawmaker Helen Haines appeared to beryllium an “isolated incident” and determination were nary known further threats associated with the attack.

Haines was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV extracurricular her bureau successful Wangaratta, astir 200km (124 miles) northwest of the authorities of Victoria’s capital, Melbourne, connected Monday, successful what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called a “deliberate” act.

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The 65-year-old underwent country overnight, with Australian media outlets reporting connected Tuesday that she has mislaid a limb and remains successful captious information successful a Melbourne hospital.

The fishy is successful constabulary custody, an AFP connection released connected Tuesday said. Local media identified the operator arsenic a 43-year-old antheral from Tarrawingee, Victoria.

Federal and authorities constabulary were moving “to place imaginable charges”, including “the offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth nationalist authoritative which carries a maximum punishment of 10 years’ imprisonment”, the connection said.

The premier curate said connected Tuesday that the conveyance had performed a U-turn earlier hitting the MP.

“It’s wide that determination was a deliberate enactment here. This wasn’t an accident, idiosyncratic conscionable skidding disconnected the road,” Albanese ⁠told the ABC nationalist broadcaster.

The premier curate said the alleged attacker’s motive remained unknown.

Police get astatine Alfred Hospital, wherever Australian person Helen Haines is being treated, successful Melbourne connected October 20, 2026 [Martin Keep/AFP]

Bystander intervened

A erstwhile nurse, Haines is an autarkic national MP for the Victorian spot of Indi and is known for her socially conscious argumentation positions connected the situation and transparency.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told ABC Radio that witnesses said Haines was struck doubly by the conveyance earlier a bystander intervened.

Ricky Jefferies ran from his barber shop, restrained the attacker and removed a weapon from him aft initially believing the incidental was a car accident, Australian media reported.

“I heard a large bang with nary brakes. It was crazy; I conscionable ran retired to the ⁠front to spot what’s happening,” Jefferies told reporters extracurricular his shop.

“I didn’t realise the seriousness of ⁠the concern initially, and erstwhile it became relevant, I conscionable did what I could and what others were already trying to do.”

Threats and abuse

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was shocked by the “deeply disturbing attack” and wished Haines a afloat betterment successful a station connected X.

The onslaught comes aft the national constabulary documented a dependable emergence successful threats and maltreatment directed towards the nation’s politicians successful caller years. Politicians person historically been highly accessible to the nationalist and usually spell astir their concern without security.

Albanese said connected Monday that “the somesthesia has accrued successful caller times”.

Haines entered parliament successful 2019 aft moving arsenic a caregiver and midwife, becoming known for stances specified arsenic supporting stronger clime action.

She has been praised for her efforts to summation transparency successful authorities and ace down connected corruption.