Helen Haines critically injured outside Wangaratta office; suspect in custody
The independent Australian MP was struck by a vehicle in regional Victoria on 19 October. Police are investigating whether it was intentional, and the prime minister said the motive was unknown.
Australian independent MP Helen Haines was critically injured after being struck by a vehicle outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, Victoria, on Monday, 19 October 2026. A suspect is in custody, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said, according to CNA. Police are investigating whether the incident was intentional, The Guardian reported.
The Guardian reported that Victoria police said a white Toyota LandCruiser struck a 65-year-old woman outside an office on Murphy Street at about 3:35 p.m. local time. The newspaper identified the woman as Haines and reported that police described her condition as critical. Haines has represented the electorate of Indi since 2019.
What police said about the Wangaratta incident
Victoria police said a 43-year-old man from Tarrawingee was in custody, according to The Guardian. Police alleged that a knife was found in his car and said a passerby detained him after he got out of the vehicle. Those details form part of the police account of an incident whose circumstances remain under investigation.
Police were examining whether the vehicle struck Haines intentionally and did not know whether she and the man knew each other, The Guardian reported. Albanese said the motive was unknown and declined to comment on whether the suspect was known to police. The Guardian reported that the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and the joint counter-terrorism taskforce were investigating the alleged attack.
Haines’s family confirms she is receiving care
In a statement reported by The Guardian, Haines’s family said she was receiving medical care. The family thanked the bystanders who helped her, health workers and police, and asked the public and media to respect the privacy of her family and staff.
Albanese expressed support for Haines, her family, friends, team and community and said they were praying for her recovery, CNA reported. The Guardian also reported that Nationals MP Michael McCormack sent his wishes for her recovery in a social media post.
Emergency services were called to Murphy Street on Monday afternoon. Two vehicles responded and the road was closed after the incident, according to the Victorian Emergency Services website as cited by The Guardian. The newspaper said police were expected to issue a statement later on Monday.
Read in depth: World
Zelenskyy says no US warning before Russian strikes on Kyiv power plants
Ukraine's leader says partners gave no alert before a missile barrage that hit energy sites in 11 regions, while Washington denies any pause in intelligence sharing.
Singapore may strengthen haze laws as three more Indonesian firms face notices
Senior Minister K Shanmugam said Singapore could change its laws to secure cooperation from firms linked to haze, while authorities plan preventive notices for three more...
Sources and context
- Australian lawmaker wounded in attack, suspect in custody: PMCNA
- Independent MP Helen Haines fighting for life after incident outside Wangaratta office in regional VictoriaThe Guardian
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.
Topics in this story
More from World
Illustration