Australian MP Helen Haines loses both legs after alleged targeted attack

Australian lawmaker Helen Haines has undergone surgery to remove both legs following a targeted car attack near her office in Wangaratta.

Her husband reported she is stable, emphasizing her resilience and compassionate character.

The attack, marking a rare instance of political violence in Australia, has fueled debates on increasing extremism and heated political discourse.

Brendan Nugent, accused of the attack, faces multiple charges and will remain in custody until his next court appearance in February.

MELBOURNE, Oct 21 — Australian lawmaker Helen Haines has had both legs removed, her husband told journalists today, after what police called a “targeted” attack.

Haines is in a stable condition at a Melbourne hospital after being struck by a car on Monday near her office in the town of Wangaratta, more than 200 kilometres (120 miles) northeast of the Victoria state capital.

Speaking at the hospital today, her husband Phil said that surgeons had been forced to remove both her legs.

“But the good news in all this is Helen is alive and she’s stable. That is the most important thing for our family,” he said.

“The two most important parts of Helen for us as a family are her heart and her mind,” he said.

“Her heart is huge. She is a very compassionate, caring, loving person.”

The man alleged to have wounded Haines, in what police have called a “targeted” attack, faced court earlier today.

Police have charged 43-year-old Brendan Nugent with dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury, as well as the federal crime of harming a public official, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

He has also been charged with cultivating a cannabis plant and possession of the drug, according to court documents shared with AFP.

Nugent appeared at a courthouse in Wangaratta, an AFP journalist at the scene said.

He did not apply for bail and his next hearing is scheduled for February 4.

The alleged attack has sparked soul-searching in a country where political violence is rare, but where police have documented a steady rise in threats and abuse towards elected officials in recent years.

Governor-General Sam Mostyn — King Charles III’s official representative in Australia — said the nation was crying out for “decency” following the attack.

“Australians are yearning for kindness and care, and they’re asking us why we’ve lost the great skill of disagreeing well,” Mostyn said alongside Helen’s husband Phil.

The motive remains unknown and authorities have refused to speculate while the investigation takes place.

But police said today they were examining all possible leads, including that Nugent may have held radical anti-government views.

“Like everyone, we’re examining social media associations, talking to witnesses, friends and colleagues,” Victoria police commissioner Mike Bush told journalists.

Bush said authorities held no intelligence on the suspect and had seen nothing to suggest he posed an immediate threat before the attack.

Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner Krissy Barrett said there was a growing level of “extremist views” online.

“The current criminal threat environment is febrile and when it comes to federal parliamentarians, the AFP continues to record the growing volume of online abuse, threatening rhetoric and intimidation,” she said.

World ‘more dangerous’

The independent lawmaker, 65, was standing near the trunk of her car when she was struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser on Monday afternoon.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led an outpouring of support for Haines, who was widely praised for her efforts to increase transparency in politics and crack down on corruption.

He bemoaned the fact that political debate in Australia had grown too heated and personal over the past few years.

“It’s a reminder that the world is a more dangerous and divided place than it was a generation ago,” Albanese told ABC Melbourne radio today.

“I think that Australians do want to see their politicians be able to go about their business, to be able to get something from the back of their car, for goodness sake.”

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

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澳大利亚议员海伦·海恩斯在旺加拉塔办公室附近遭遇汽车袭击后，接受了双腿截肢手术。

她的丈夫表示她目前情况稳定，并强调了她坚韧不拔和富有同情心的性格。

此次袭击事件是澳大利亚罕见的政治暴力事件，引发了关于日益严重的极端主义和激烈政治争论的讨论。

被控袭击的布伦丹·纽金特面临多项指控，他将被拘留至二月份的下次出庭。

墨尔本，10 月 21 日——澳大利亚议员海伦·海恩斯的丈夫今天告诉记者，海伦·海恩斯的双腿已被截肢，警方称这是一起“有针对性的”袭击。

海恩斯周一在维多利亚州首府墨尔本东北 200 多公里（120 英里）处的旺加拉塔镇办公室附近被汽车撞倒，目前在墨尔本一家医院情况稳定。

她的丈夫菲尔今天在医院表示，外科医生不得不切除她的双腿。

“但好消息是海伦还活着，而且情况稳定。这对我们家来说才是最重要的，”他说。

他说：“对我们全家来说，海伦最重要的两个部分是她的心和她的头脑。”

“她心地善良，是一位非常富有同情心、体贴、充满爱心的人。”

据称袭击海恩斯的男子今天早些时候出庭受审，警方称这是一起“有针对性的”袭击。

警方指控 43 岁的布伦丹·纽金特犯有危险驾驶致人重伤罪和故意致人重伤罪，以及伤害公职人员的联邦罪行，最高可判处 10 年监禁。

根据法新社获得的法庭文件显示，他还被指控种植大麻植物和持有毒品。

据法新社现场记者报道，努根特已在旺加拉塔的一家法院出庭。

他没有申请保释，下次听证会定于2月4日举行。

这起袭击事件引发了该国的深刻反思。该国政治暴力事件虽然罕见，但警方记录显示，近年来针对民选官员的威胁和辱骂事件稳步上升。

澳大利亚总督萨姆·莫斯廷（国王查尔斯三世在澳大利亚的官方代表）表示，袭击事件发生后，全国上下都在呼吁“体面”。

“澳大利亚人渴望得到善意和关怀，他们质问我们为什么失去了好好表达不同意见的这项重要技能，”莫斯廷和海伦的丈夫菲尔一起说道。

作案动机仍然不明，当局在调查进行期间拒绝妄加猜测。

但警方今天表示，他们正在调查所有可能的线索，包括努金特可能持有激进的反政府观点。

“和所有人一样，我们正在调查社交媒体上的关联信息，并与证人、朋友和同事交谈，”维多利亚州警察局长迈克·布什告诉记者。

布什表示，当局没有关于嫌疑人的情报，也没有发现任何迹象表明他在袭击发生前构成直接威胁。

澳大利亚联邦警察总长克里西·巴雷特表示，网络上的“极端主义观点”日益增多。

“当前的犯罪威胁环境十分紧张，就联邦议员而言，澳大利亚联邦警察不断记录到越来越多的网络辱骂、威胁性言论和恐吓行为，”她说。

世界“更加危险”

这位65岁的独立议员周一下午站在自己的汽车后备箱附近时，被一辆丰田陆地巡洋舰撞倒。

总理安东尼·阿尔巴尼斯带头对海恩斯表示支持，海恩斯因其在提高政治透明度和打击腐败方面所做的努力而广受赞誉。

他感叹，过去几年里，澳大利亚的政治辩论变得过于激烈和人身攻击。

“这提醒我们，世界比上一代人更加危险和分裂，”阿尔巴尼斯今天在接受澳大利亚广播公司墨尔本电台采访时表示。

“我认为澳大利亚人确实希望看到他们的政治家能够正常生活，能够从车后备箱里拿点东西，天哪。”

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

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胡塞武装袭击事件发生后，美国下令使馆人员及其家属撤离沙特阿拉伯。

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马来西亚高等教育部建议在欧洲的马来西亚学生，鉴于骚乱局势，暂时不要前往法国旅行。

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古晋国际学校恢复上课，此前一名教师遭到袭击，学校已增派三名警察加强安保。