Police say attack on Australian MP Helen Haines appears isolated
The Australian Federal Police say they know of no further threats linked to the car attack on Helen Haines. The independent lawmaker remains in critical condition.
The Australian Federal Police said on 20 October that the alleged targeting of independent MP Helen Haines appeared to be an isolated incident, with no known further threats linked to it. Haines was struck by a car outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, Victoria, on 19 October and remained in critical condition after surgery, Reuters reported.
The assessment gives an indication of what police know about possible further danger after the attack. It does not establish why Haines was targeted: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the alleged attacker’s motive remained unknown, according to Reuters.
What police have said about the attack
Reuters reported that a Toyota Land Cruiser struck Haines outside her office. Albanese said the vehicle had made a U-turn before hitting her. ‘It’s clear that there was a deliberate act here. This wasn’t an accident, someone just skidding off the road,’ he told the ABC national broadcaster, according to Reuters.
Euronews reported on 19 October that civilians detained the 43-year-old driver before police arrested him. It also reported that police found a knife in his car. The AFP said on 20 October that the suspect was in custody; neither the reported discovery of the knife nor the police assessment establishes a motive.
Federal and state police were working to identify potential charges, Reuters reported. One offence under consideration was causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, which carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. Police had not announced a charge in the AFP statement described by Reuters.
Haines’s condition and the Wangaratta attack
Haines underwent surgery overnight and remained in critical condition, according to Reuters reporting carried by RTÉ. Euronews had reported critical injuries on 19 October and cited a family statement saying she was receiving medical care after an incident outside her Wangaratta electorate office. Wangaratta is just over 200 kilometres northwest of Melbourne.
Haines has represented the Victorian seat of Indi as an independent since her election to parliament in 2019. Albanese described her as ‘incredibly hardworking’ and ‘fiercely intelligent’ in remarks reported by TheJournal.ie, which also quoted him calling her ‘a thoroughly decent human being.’ His comments followed the attack, before the AFP’s assessment of further threats.
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Sources and context
- ‘Deliberate’ car ramming of Australian MP an isolated incident, police sayReuters, carried by Al Jazeera
- Australian lawmaker 'critically' hurt in car attack, officials sayEuronews
- Australian MP Helen Haines critically injured in car ramming attack outside her officeTheJournal.ie
- Australia PM calls attack on politician 'deliberate act'Reuters, carried by RTÉ
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.