What we know about apparent attack on Australian MP hit by car

Shock and disbelief: How the attack on an Australian MP unfolded in a small rural town

Australian independent MP Helen Haines is in hospital in a critical condition after she was struck by a car outside her electorate office in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said appears to have been "a deliberate act".

The incident in Wangaratta, north-east of Melbourne, happened on Monday afternoon local time.

Albanese said counter-terrorism police are involved in the investigation.

Haines was struck by a White Toyota Landcruiser outside her electorate office on Monday.

The driver allegedly reversed to run into her a second time, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.

"What witnesses have described is the driver doing a U-turn to get into the car park and to ram Helen against a vehicle, then to reverse and do it a second time," Burke told national broadcaster ABC on Tuesday morning.

A local barber Ricky Jefferies said he heard a loud commotion and ran towards the car, telling reporters on Tuesday that took a knife off the driver.

He said that multiple people "got involved immediately" to stop the alleged attacker.

Haines was airlifted to a Melbourne hospital where she underwent surgery.

She has lost one of her legs, according to local media. National broadcaster the Australian Broadcasting Corporation report that surgeons are working to save her other leg.

Victoria Police arrested the driver of the car, a 43-year-old man from the nearby town of Tarrawingee.

Local media reports have named the suspect as Brendan Nugent. Police have not confirmed the name of the man arrested.

Few details have been shared about Nugent, although he reportedly campaigned widely on environmental issues, including advocating against logging.

He was was detained at the scene by a passer-by before being taken into custody by officers, police said.

A knife was also seized, according to officers.

Victoria Police said it was unknown whether the suspect and Haines knew each other and its investigation remains ongoing.

On Tuesday morning Albanese said the suspect drove past Haines and did a U-turn "in order to get back" to where she was before hitting her with the car.

"It's clear this was a deliberate act," he told the ABC, adding it was not an "accident".

The motive for the attack is not clear, he said, and police are continuing their investigations.

Reuters

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.

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, according to her website. 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.

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).

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 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.

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."

But MPs from a range of political backgrounds have also described feeling deeply concerned about their safety in recent times: wearing disguises in public, locking their office doors, and scanning every crowd for potential threats.