Australian lawmaker critically injured in apparent deliberate vehicle attack
Australian lawmaker Helen Haines was critically injured in an apparent deliberate vehicle attack outside her office in Wangaratta. Police have arrested a 43-year-old suspect and are investigating the incident as a potential act of violence against a public official.
Why it matters
The attack highlights rising concerns regarding the safety of politicians and the increasing frequency of threats against public figures in Australia.
Australian independent member of parliament Helen Haines at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, in September. Mick Tsikas/The Associated Press
A car hit an Australian federal independent lawmaker on Monday, critically injuring her in an apparent deliberate attack, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. The driver was arrested.
Helen Haines, 65, was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV outside her electoral district office mid afternoon in the city of Wangaratta in Victoria state, a police said.
Albanese said the national counterterrorism team, incorporating police and intelligence agencies, was investigating.
“This wasn’t an accident. There was a deliberate act, it would appear. We don’t know what the motivation is,” Albanese told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
The 43-year-old driver was arrested at the scene by a passerby. He will be interviewed in relation to the incident, police said.
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