The man accused of deliberately running over an Australian MP which left her fighting for her life has been identified as a radical anti-Israel climate campaigner.
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which → accuse → campaigner
Brendan Nugent, 43, was arrested after Helen Haines, a centrist independent, was struck by a car outside her MP office in Victoria on Monday afternoon, causing her to suffer severe lower-body injuries and lose her leg.
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her → arrest → leg
Social media accounts linked to the suspect have since revealed that Nugent was an anti-Israel activist and a radical environmentalist.
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Nugent → link → suspect
Recent posts refer to the conflict in Gaza, while older posts focused on environmental issues, like logging, and referred to himself as a 'plant person'.
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posts → refer → person
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the nation that Ms Haines had undergone emergency surgery in Melbourne overnight following the horrific collision but remains in a critical condition.
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Haines → tell → condition
Witnesses have claimed that a white Toyota Land Cruiser had driven past Ms Haines collecting items from the boot of her car when it made a U-turn and rammed into the politician twice.
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it → claim → politician
A brave barber watching from his shop next door rushed to Ms Haines' defence and brought the driver to the floor while Ms Haines reportedly remained pinned under the car.
Father-of-three Ricky Jefferies made a citizen's arrest as he waited for police to arrive some minutes later.
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police → watch → arrest
It is said when they emptied the driver's pockets, a pocketknife was discovered, which he kicked away from the suspect.
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he → say → suspect
Helen Haines, a centrist independent, was struck by a car outside her MP office in Victoria on Monday afternoon
Driver
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Haines → strike → afternoon
Brendan Nugent, pictured, in police custody as been identified as a radical anti-Israel climate campaigner
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Nugent → picture → campaigner
Eyewitnesses have claimed that a white Toyota Land Cruiser had driven past Ms Haines collecting items from the boot of her car when it made a U-turn and rammed into the politician twice
The driver of a white 1997 model Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series Troop Carrier has been arrested in connection with the crash
Nugent remains in police custody after spending the night in a cell and will undergo a mental health assessment ahead of formal interviews by detectives today.
Meanwhile, counter-terrorism authorities are set to continue to investigate the incident.
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authorities → claim → incident
Australian authorities confirmed that the suspect was known to police but had not been on the radar of law enforcement agencies recently.
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suspect → confirm → agencies
The suspect had allegedly engaged with Ms Haines on X on several occasions – the last being six years ago and in a post even appeared to commend Ms Haines on her stance on climate change.
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last → engage → change
The MP, who was elected in 2019, has previously called for strong action on climate change, including a target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
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who → elect → 2030
She has also urged Australia to impose sanctions on Israel and put greater pressure on the Netanyahu government to end the conflict, while calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and urgent humanitarian aid.
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She → urge → Gaza
A photo of the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser uploaded in 2018 to an X account under Nugent's name has the same number plate as the vehicle allegedly used in Monday's incident.
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photo → upload → incident
An account attributed to Brendan Nugent has repeatedly interacted with Ms Haines in the past
A man wore a 'this is not us' shirt following the attack on Helen Haines
Another shared a heartwarming note at the door of the politicians office - along with a bunch of flowers
Police have separately confirmed that there was no record of the vehicle which allegedly struck Ms Haines as being stolen.
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which → attribute → Haines
The account had previously posted about Israel’s war in Gaza and about a 'satanic child sexual abuse material network' just days ago.
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account → post → network
Replying to Penny Wong on X after she shared a statement from Albanese, the account called the two politicians a 'couple of US lap dogs'.
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account → reply → dogs
Maybe if you had warned Israel about its attacks the world wouldn't be where it is right now,' the account wrote.
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account → warn → attacks
In 2024, the account responded to then-UK PM Keir Starmer calling for a ceasefire: 'The only reason Israel bombs innocent people in Rafah is because people like you give them the diplomatic cover and military assistance to do it.'
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people → respond → it
Police have said it is too soon to have ascertained Nugent's political leanings, or any potential motivation for the alleged attack.
'
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it → say → attack
The focus of the investigation will be to determine, why and how this occurred and whether it was an intentional or deliberate act,' Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason said.
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Mason → determine → investigation
But, according to sources, Nugent has a history of activism in the area and then strayed into 'darker' things.
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Nugent → accord → things
Albanese has since said 'it's clear that there was a deliberate act here.
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it → say → ?
This wasn't an accident, someone just skidding off the road here.
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someone → skid → road
Shocked locals and schoolchildren have begun laying flowers and handwritten notes outside the politician's office.
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locals → begin → office
Home Affairs Minister Tony Bourke said 'no one would have thought' Ms Haines would be among the MPs most at risk of a violent attack.
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Haines → say → attack
Hours before the alleged attack, Ms Haines had been taking part in an event at a local school where she was presenting the Australian flag.
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she → allege → flag
'Our national flags are powerful symbols of who we are as Australians - our history, our values and the country we’re proud to call home,' the MP wrote in her most recent post.
'
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MP → ’re → post
I hope these flags inspire pride in our country and conversations about what it means to be Australian.'
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it → hope → what
Ms Haines is widely known in Canberra and nationally as a strong voice for integrity and honesty in politics after playing a key role in establishing the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
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Haines → play → Commission
Ms Haines is also a passionate advocate for healthcare and regional Australia, having worked beforehand in the industry as a midwife and researcher.
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Haines → work → midwife
The 'Good Samaritan' who came to Ms Haines's 'defence' told reporters this morning that he did not see himself as a hero and 'was just a person who had an opportunity to intervene in a safe-ish sort of way'.
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who → come → way
'I didn't realise the seriousness of the situation initially and once it became relevant, I just did what I could and what others were already trying to do,' Mr Jefferies said.
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Jefferies → realise → what
'I basically asked him to jump out of the car and got him out of the car.
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I → ask → car
I had him sit on the ground and police got there within minutes
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police → have → minutes
,' he added.
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he → add → ?
An emotional Mr Albanese earlier told ABC: 'This wasn't an accident.
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This → tell → ABC
There was a deliberate act, it would appear.
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it → be → ?
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
