Helen Haines ‘Attack’: Australia MP Hit by Car, in Critical Condition

An Australian lawmaker is in critical condition after being struck by a car in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called an “attack.”

Independent MP Helen Haines was “attacked outside her electorate office” on Monday afternoon in Wangaratta, north-east of Melbourne, Albanese told reporters.

Haines has been a member for Indi since 2019. Helen Haines secured her third term as an Independent in the federal seat of Indi in the last federal election.

A 43-year-old Tarrawingee man has been arrested. Counter terrorism units have been activated but a motive remains unknown.

“It is too early in this investigation formally to provide you with details about what the motivation is behind this attack,” Albanese added.

A white Toyota Landcruiser driven by the suspect struck Haines about 3:35 p.m. local time (12:35 a.m. ET), police said. “When he exited the Toyota the driver, a 43-year-old Tarrawingee man, was arrested at the scene by a passerby,” Victoria Police said.

A knife was later found inside the vehicle, police said. “At this stage, police are investigating as to whether this was an intentional act,” police added. “It is not known yet if the parties are known to each other.”

Opposition leader Angus Taylor called it a “shocking day for our nation” and that “no-one should be targeted in this way.”

“Our nation cannot become a place where violent attacks are normalised,” he said. “I’ve spoken with the prime minister, and we are united in our view that political violence must never be accepted as part of public life.”

Pauline Hanson, a Queensland senator from the One Nation party, posted on Facebook: “Violence against any elected representative, whoever they are and whatever they stand for, is never acceptable in Australia.

“Members of parliament and their staff must be able to serve their communities without fearing for their safety.”

Who Is Australian MP Helen Haines?

Haines has represented Indi in parliament since 2019. The area in Victoria’s north-east includes cities of Wodonga, Wangaratta and Benalla.

The Indi seat was held by conservatives for more than eight decades until 2013.

Haines narrowly won Indi with 51.4 percent of the two-candidate-preferred vote in 2019, before increasing her share to 58.6 percent in the last federal election there in May 2025.

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