Australian Lawmaker Helen Haines Critically Injured After Deliberate Car Attack Outside Office

New York Post
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Oct 19, 2026
Video Summary
AI GeneratedThe Prime Minister addressed a serious incident in Victoria where Member for Indi, Helen Haines, was attacked outside her electorate office in Wangaratta. A suspect is currently in custody, and a major investigation involving the AFP, Victorian Police, and ASIO is underway. The Prime Minister expressed his support for Ms. Haines and called for a reduction in the intensity of political discourse.
Going to leave you now as we cross to Sydney where
the Prime Minister is about to speak.
Let's listen in.
Serious incident that has occurred in Victoria.
This afternoon, Helen Haynes, the member for Indi,
was attacked outside her electorate
office in Wangaratta.
All of our thoughts are with Helen, her family,
her friends, her team and her community at
this extremely difficult time.
We are praying for her full recovery.
I want to thank the first responders for their extraordinary work.
There is a major police investigation underway
and I can confirm that a suspect is in custody.
The Australian Federal Police,
Victorian Police and ASIO are working together on this.
The Joint Counter Terrorism Team has been activated
but the motive is not known.
It is too early in this investigation for me to provide you
with details of what the motivation is behind this attack.
My thoughts are also with those there
who were there in Wangaratta today and Helen's community more broadly.
Helen Haines is incredibly hard working.
She is fiercely intelligent, but most importantly,
she's just thoroughly decent human being.
full of integrity and respected right across the Parliament
and from everyone who comes into contact with her.
She is a well-loved member of her community
and this will come as an incredible shock to that community.
Our thoughts remain with Helen Haines at this very difficult time.
Look, we have made a range
of comments that I have made.
go look up the interviews in which I've done
and call for the temperature to be turned down
when it comes to political discourse.
It is too early, though, to speculate on motivation
and we won't be doing so.
We'll allow the authorities to do their work.
So what are security measures, if any,
to be afforded ahead of this attack by Parliament?
We organise security arrangements
based upon the threat levels which are there.
But as Minister Burke has said, and as you would be aware,
and anyone who looks at comments made and directed
towards members of Parliament and high office holders,
there is increased heightened risk has occurred.
But our thoughts are just very much with Helen,
her family, her community at this time.
Thanks very much.
