Helen Haines

This was a deliberate act.

The Prime Minister's stark words following a devastating alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines yesterday afternoon, who remains in a critical condition.

As Australia learns more about what unfolded outside her Wangaratta electorate office, shock is turning to urgent questions about the safety of our elected representatives.

Calls to turn down the political temperature are growing louder, but is that the right message? Welcome to Politics Now.

To give everyone an important summary of what's unfolded, we're recording this kinda mid-middle of the day on Tuesday.

Independent MP for Indi, which is an electorate in Victoria.

Helen Haines is sixty-five.

She remains in a critical condition after being struck by a vehicle outside her electorate office in Wangaratta.

Katie Silver reports from Sydney.

Helen Haines was retrieving something from the boot of her car outside her office in Wangaratta, about three hours from Melbourne.

That's when a man allegedly did a U-turn in a four-wheel drive and struck her.

The sixty-five-year-old independent MP was airlifted to hospital and had emergency surgery.

Katie Silver reports from Sydney.

Helen Haines was retrieving something from the boot of her car outside her office in Wangaratta, about three hours from Melbourne.

That's when a man allegedly did a U-turn in a four-wheel drive and struck her.

The sixty-five-year-old independent MP was airlifted to hospital and had emergency surgery.

[gentle music] It was only last week that independent MP Helen Haines spoke about why Australians were so angry.

Well, right now they are angry about the cost of living.

They are angry that their insurance premiums are unaffordable.

Now many are wondering how such a popular uncontentious MP could have become the target of what appears to be an overt and targeted act of political violence.

I'm Samantha Selinger-Morris, and you're listening to the Morning Edition from the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.

Today, national correspondent Rob Harris, reporting from Wangaratta on the attack on Helen Haines.

Rob, welcome back to the podcast.

Thanks for having me.

Authorities blame the attacks and looting on radical agitators and far-left groups.

Australian lawmaker Helen Haines has reportedly lost a leg after being struck by a car in what police say was a deliberate attack.

The sixty-five-year-old lawmaker remains in critical condition after undergoing surgery at a Melbourne hospital.

Police have arrested the forty-three-year-old male driver.

Thanks for joining me.

Tonight, political violence under the microscope as federal independent MP Helen Haines loses one leg reportedly and fights for her life with the whole nation behind her.

I'll cross to Wangaratta and talk to Liberal frontbencher Dan Tehan.

While the Prime Minister calls for a cooling down of political debate, I'll expose his hypocrisy.

There are many factors involved, which I'll discuss later.

But what manifested in Wangaratta yesterday was sickening and un-Australian, of course.

Our thoughts and prayers, our love and strength are all directed towards the independent member for Indi, Helen Haines.

This is something that, uh, is very clear, uh, was aimed at, at causing harm, uh, to Helen Haines.

That's Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, speaking after an incident that shocked Australian politics.

On Monday, independent MP Helen Haines was critically injured after being struck by a vehicle outside her electorate office in Wangaratta in Victoria's northeast, and that's located just over 200 kilometers northeast of Melbourne.

A 43-year-old man named Brendan Newgen was taken into custody.

The Australian Federal Police, Victorian Police, and ASIO are working together on this.

Prime Ministers are protected.

They have security detail because, unfortunately, they are at, at higher risk than, than other people.

And while Helen Haines is a, a very highly respected member of Parliament and very well known in her community, she doesn't necessarily have the high profile that, um, lends itself to becoming a polarizing figure in the way that some other, uh, people in, in Parliament might be.

So that makes it all the more surprising and, and all the more tragic.

Yes.

About independent MP Helen

Haynes.

I completely agree with you.

I had that moment this morning and last night too where I thought, this is, but this is Australia.

When we see the heat rising politically in the States, we are seeing what's happening in France as well.

You know, yes, the heat is absolutely rising, but an independent MP here in Australia, Helen Haynes, fighting for life this morning after being hit by a car outside office in what is being called an attack.

We do have Sunrise reporter Andrew McCormack on the line.

That's right, David.

Helen Haines was flown by helicopter to the Alfred Hospital, a trauma center, at around 7:30 last night.

It's believed she has critical injuries to her lower body, in partic-

So [laughs] when he says 7:30 last night, he actually means like 7:30 tonight.

Thoughts and prayers to her.

She can be my GOP mommy

... of all Victorians are with Helen Haines and her family.

I don't know what her politics are.