Australian politician Helen Haines loses both legs after car attack
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Haines → lose → attack
Doctors have amputated both of Australian federal lawmaker Helen Haines ‘ legs as she remains in critical condition after being repeatedly hit by a car in an apparent act of political violence, her husband said Wednesday.
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husband → amputate → violence
The 65-year-old independent politician is receiving treatment in a Melbourne hospital where she was flown by helicopter.
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she → receive → helicopter
Phil Haines, her husband, gave the family’s first public comments on her condition since she was hit by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV in her hometown of Wangaratta on Monday, speaking hours after a man accused of running her over made an initial appearance in court.
“The good news in all this is that Helen is alive and she’s stable.
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she → give → this
That is the most important thing for our family,” the husband told reporters in Melbourne.
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husband → tell → Melbourne
“We are grateful and thankful that at this stage, both her heart and her mind are in good shape,” he said.
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he → say → shape
He added that their 40th wedding anniversary will be in November.
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anniversary → add → November
Man accused of attack makes first appearance in court
Earlier Wednesday, Brendan Nugent, a 43-year-old man from nearby Tarrawingee, appeared in the Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official.
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Nugent → accuse → official
Nugent didn’t apply for bail or enter a plea.
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Nugent → apply → plea
He will remain in custody until his next court appearance in February.
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He → remain → February
Police have yet to determine a motive.
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Police → have → motive
Nugent’s lawyer Chirag Patel told Magistrate Allison Vaughan that his client was suffering from potential mental health issues and a concussion.
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client → tell → issues
The lawyer did not explain how Nugent had been concussed.
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Nugent → explain → ?
Patel said Nugent suffered from a neurological condition, idiopathic transverse myelitis, but had not been diagnosed with any mental health problems.
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Nugent → say → problems
The rare condition damages the spinal cord’s protective myelin sheath and disrupts nerve signals between the brain and body.
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condition → damage → brain
This leads to rapid muscle weakness, sensory loss, pain, and bladder and bowel dysfunction, according to the Cleveland Clinic medical center.
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This → lead → center
Witnesses say the driver rammed his victim, pinning her against her own car before reversing and ramming her a second time.
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driver → say → her
Australia worries about balancing security with keeping politicians accessible
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Australia → worry → politicians
The well-regarded lawmaker’s plight has shocked Australians, as political violence is uncommon in the country and politicians are highly accessible to the public.
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politicians → regard → public
Most lawmakers are not accompanied by security details and go about their work and personal lives on their own.
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lawmakers → accompany → own
Senior opposition lawmaker James Paterson on Wednesday called for a review of lawmakers’ personal security in response to the alleged crime.
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Paterson → call → crime
“The reality is that Australian parliamentarians by global standards are uniquely accessible to the public and that’s a good thing,” Paterson told Australian Broadcasting Corp.
“But we … can’t have a situation where shocking attacks like this take place because that will fundamentally change our democracy forever if it becomes a serious risk to your life to be a member of parliament,”
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it → ’ → parliament
Paterson added.
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Paterson → add → ?
But Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged lawmakers to continue to engage openly with the public despite worsening animosity within the community.
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Albanese → urge → community
“We want to make sure that people can feel as much comfort as possible that everything’s being done to maximize security,” Albanese told News24.
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Albanese → want → News24
“I think parliamentarians across the board are determined to make sure that we can continue to engage as we need to in this great democracy of ours,” Albanese added.
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Albanese → think → ours
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