Australian MP Helen Haines loses leg in deliberate car attack outside office, Albanese condemns violence

Australian lawmaker Helen Haines was critically injured and lost a leg in a deliberate attack involving a vehicle in Wangaratta.

Political violence is unusual in Australia, though threats against officials have been increasing.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese highlighted the incident as a critical moment, emphasizing the rise of heated political discourse.

The alleged attacker, caught by a local barber, is in custody, with investigations continuing into his motive.

The incident has prompted widespread support and calls for more respectful political dialogue.

WANGARATTA (Australia), Oct 20 — Australian lawmaker Helen Haines has lost a leg after being struck by a car in a deliberate attack, local media said Tuesday.

Political violence is rare in Australia, but law enforcement have documented a steady rise in threats and abuse directed towards the nation’s elected officials in recent years.

Prime Minister Albanese said the attack was a “test of our character” and led an outpouring of support for Haines, widely praised for her efforts to increase transparency in politics and crack down on corruption.

She was hit by a Toyota Land Cruiser outside her office in the town of Wangaratta, just over 200 kilometres (124 miles) northeast of Melbourne, at around 3.35pm on Monday.

Witnesses told national broadcaster ABC they heard a bang and saw a woman pinned between two cars.

She was getting things from the trunk of her car when the attack happened, Albanese said.

The driver did a U-turn to get back to her after passing, he added.

“It’s clear this was a deliberate act,” he said.

The 65-year-old was critically injured.

She underwent surgery overnight at the Alfred hospital in Melbourne.

National broadcaster ABC and the Sydney Morning Herald reported she had lost a leg.

“Helen remains in hospital in a critical condition. I spoke with her husband Phil last night, and she underwent surgery last night,” Albanese told Australian breakfast show Sunrise.

“All Australians’ thoughts are with the family, with her many friends, with her community,” he added.

The 43-year-old male driver of the vehicle was restrained by local barber Ricky Jefferies—now widely hailed as a “hero”.

Jefferies told journalists his first thought had been: “my wife would be disappointed if I’m injured”.

“My family, they’re everything, and my community is second to that,” a visibly shaken Jefferies told journalists.

“The other people here were just, they did so much more than me... they deserve the credit.”

The driver was then arrested and police found a knife in his car.

Australian media reported that he was known to police and that his name is Brendan Nugent.

An investigation by federal police, the counter-terrorism squad and Victoria state law enforcement is ongoing and he remained in custody on Tuesday morning.

Federal police said they were working with local law enforcement on possible charges, including the offence of causing harm to a government official — which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.

The alleged attacker’s motive remains unknown and Albanese has refused to speculate while the investigation takes place.

But he has bemoaned the fact that political debate in Australia had grown too heated and personal over the past few years and pointed to a significant increase in threats against elected officials.

“It’s important in a democracy that people are allowed to have disagreements,” he said.

“But that doesn’t mean that you have to draw into question people’s motivations or their patriotism or who they are.”

“We’ve seen, I think, political discourse go in the wrong direction in recent times,” he said.

Haines entered parliament in 2019 after working as a nurse and midwife, becoming known for stances such as supporting stronger climate action.

“This afternoon, our beloved Helen was involved in an incident outside her Wangaratta Electorate Office, and is receiving medical care,” her family said.

“We thank the swift assistance of bystanders and the dedicated health workers who assisted her, and police for their response.”

Tributes to the independent lawmaker have poured in from across the political spectrum.

Conservative opposition leader Angus Taylor described it as a “shocking day for our nation”.

And far-right Senator Pauline Hanson said “violence against any elected representative, whoever they are and whatever they stand for, is never acceptable in Australia”. — AFP

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澳大利亚议员海伦·海恩斯在旺加拉塔遭遇一起蓄意车辆袭击，身受重伤并失去了一条腿。

澳大利亚的政治暴力事件并不常见，但针对官员的威胁却在不断增加。

总理安东尼·阿尔巴尼斯强调，这一事件是一个关键时刻，凸显了激烈的政治辩论的加剧。

据称袭击者已被当地一名理发师抓获，目前已被拘留，警方正在调查其作案动机。

该事件引发了广泛的支持，并呼吁开展更加尊重彼此的政治对话。

澳大利亚旺加拉塔，10 月 20 日——据当地媒体周二报道，澳大利亚议员海伦·海恩斯在一次蓄意袭击中被汽车撞倒，失去了一条腿。

政治暴力在澳大利亚并不常见，但执法部门记录显示，近年来针对该国民选官员的威胁和辱骂事件稳步上升。

阿尔巴尼斯总理表示，这次袭击是对我们品格的“考验”，并带头声援海恩斯，她因努力提高政治透明度和打击腐败而广受赞誉。

星期一下午 3 点 35 分左右，她在位于墨尔本东北 200 多公里（124 英里）的旺加拉塔镇的办公室外被一辆丰田陆地巡洋舰撞倒。

目击者告诉澳大利亚广播公司（ABC），他们听到一声巨响，看到一名女子被夹在两辆车之间。

阿尔巴内塞说，袭击发生时，她正在从汽车后备箱里拿东西。

他还补充说，司机经过她身边后掉头返回。

“很明显，这是一起蓄意行为，”他说。

这名65岁的老人伤势严重。

她在墨尔本阿尔弗雷德医院接受了连夜手术。

澳大利亚国家广播公司ABC和《悉尼先驱晨报》报道称，她失去了一条腿。

“海伦目前仍在医院接受治疗，情况危急。我昨晚和她的丈夫菲尔通过电话，她昨晚接受了手术，”阿尔巴尼斯在澳大利亚早间节目《日出》中说道。

“所有澳大利亚人都与她的家人、众多朋友和社区同在，”他补充道。

这辆车的43岁男性驾驶员被当地理发师里奇·杰弗里斯制服——里奇·杰弗里斯现在被广泛誉为“英雄”。

杰弗里斯告诉记者，他当时的第一反应是：“如果我受伤了，我的妻子会很失望的”。

“我的家人就是我的一切，我的社区排在第二位，”情绪明显激动的杰弗里斯告诉记者。

“其他人做得比我多得多……他们才应该获得赞誉。”

随后，司机被逮捕，警方在他的车里发现了一把刀。

澳大利亚媒体报道称，他曾是警方的熟人，名叫布伦丹·纽金特。

联邦警察、反恐小组和维多利亚州执法部门的调查仍在进行中，截至周二上午，他仍被拘留。

联邦警察表示，他们正在与当地执法部门合作，调查可能的指控，包括伤害政府官员罪——该罪最高可判处 10 年监禁。

袭击者的作案动机仍然不明，阿尔巴内塞在调查进行期间拒绝妄加猜测。

但他感叹，过去几年澳大利亚的政治辩论变得过于激烈和人身攻击，并指出针对民选官员的威胁显著增加。

他说：“在民主社会中，允许人们持有不同意见是很重要的。”

“但这并不意味着你必须质疑人们的动机、爱国情怀或他们的身份。”

“我认为，近来政治话语已经朝着错误的方向发展了，”他说。

海恩斯曾是一名护士和助产士，2019 年进入议会，她因支持采取更强有力的气候行动等立场而闻名。

“今天下午，我们挚爱的海伦在旺加拉塔选区办公室外发生了一起事件，目前正在接受治疗，”她的家人说。

“我们感谢路人迅速伸出援手，感谢尽心尽力救助她的医护人员，也感谢警方迅速做出反应。”

来自各政治派别的悼念之情如潮水般涌来。

保守党反对派领袖安格斯·泰勒称这是“我们国家令人震惊的一天”。

极右翼参议员宝琳·汉森表示，“在澳大利亚，针对任何民选代表的暴力行为，无论他们是谁，无论他们代表什么，都是绝不可接受的。”——法新社

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