An Australian independent lawmaker, Helen Haines, has had both legs amputated after being struck by a car outside her office in Wangaratta, Victoria state, in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called “a deliberate attack”.
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Albanese → have → what
The MP’s right leg was amputated on Wednesday, two days after her left leg was amputated at a hospital in Melbourne, where the 65-year-old politician has been receiving treatment after being flown by helicopter.
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politician → amputate → helicopter
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list of 1 itemend of list“The good news in all this is that Helen is alive and she’s stable.
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she → ’ → this
That is the most important thing for our family,” her husband, Phil Haines, told reporters outside the Melbourne hospital.
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husband → tell → hospital
“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
The Australian police said it was a “targeted attack” and warned of growing “online extremism” and recorded a rise in abuse, threats and intimidation targeting lawmakers – steadily growing in a country where political violence has been rare.
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violence → say → country
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has led an outpouring of support for Haines.
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Albanese → lead → Haines
“It’s a reminder that the world is a more dangerous and divided place than it was a generation ago,” Albanese told ABC Radio on Wednesday.
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Albanese → ’ → Wednesday
“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.”
So, why have threats against Australian lawmakers risen?
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threats → think → lawmakers
What do we know about the alleged attack?
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we → know → attack
On Monday, Haines, who entered parliament in 2019, was struck by an SUV in Wangaratta in the afternoon, sending the rural Australian town into a mix of horror and disbelief.
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who → enter → horror
Haines was getting something from the boot of her car when her alleged attacker drove past in a Toyota Land Cruiser.
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attacker → get → Cruiser
Authorities said the 43-year-old man turned the car around before veering at Haines and pinning her against her vehicle.
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man → say → vehicle
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the driver then reversed before ramming her again.
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driver → say → her
Police named the suspect in the attack as Brendan Nugent, who appeared in court on Wednesday but did not apply for bail or enter a plea.
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who → name → plea
He was charged with three offences: dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, and causing harm to a public official.
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He → charge → official
Additional charges of cannabis cultivation and possession have also been laid against him.
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charges → lay → him
Nugent will remain in custody until his next court appearance in February.
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Nugent → remain → February
The Australian Federal Police received no warning of any imminent danger from the alleged attacker, Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters.
“What I can say is we didn’t have any specific intelligence that would have indicated something as atrocious as happened on Monday afternoon,” she said.
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she → receive → afternoon
Victoria Police Chief Mike Bush said the state police could not find any direct past contact between Haines and the accused.
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police → say → Haines
“Motivation is one of these things that we absolutely need to explore.
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we → need → that
His motivation for this, what we allege is a deliberate attack, is very much a centrepiece of the investigation,” Bush said.
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Bush → allege → investigation
Haines entered parliament in 2019 after working as a nurse and midwife, becoming known for stances such as supporting stronger climate action.
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Haines → enter → action
She retained the rural seat of Indi in 2022 and 2025.
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She → retain → 2022
She was widely praised for her efforts to increase transparency in politics and crack down on corruption.
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She → praise → corruption
“My background in nursing guides my work.
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background → guide → work
As a nurse and a midwife, you’re with people in their most joyous and difficult moments.
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you → ’re → moments
It’s taught me that life is precious, that everyone deserves dignity and respect, that good policy starts with listening, and – as a health researcher – that facts matter,” she describes herself on her website.
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she → teach → website
“Every day, I work to be a strong, independent voice – guided by common sense, decency and a commitment to delivering for our community and your family.”
In parliament, she pushed for a national anticorruption body.
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she → work → body
She introduced a bill in 2021 for a federal integrity commission, but it was defeated.
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it → introduce → commission
A year later, the Australian Parliament passed the National Anti-Corruption Commission Act 2022, leading to the formation of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC).
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Parliament → pass → Commission
Haines, who played a major role in the passing of the bill, served as the deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on the NACC.
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who → play → NACC
Why are threats against lawmakers rising?
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threats → rise → lawmakers
The Australian Human Rights Commission said the attack happened “against a backdrop of increasing polarisation and threats against politicians” that could undermine democracy.
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that → say → democracy
Threats against Australian lawmakers and electorate offices doubled between 2021 and 2025, with 1,067 incidents reported to police last year.
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incidents → double → police
The police also charged 41 people with offences relating to threats against parliamentarians last year, after the Australian federal police formed a National Security Investigations team described by police commissioner Barrett as a “flying squad of hate disruptors”.
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police → charge → disruptors
In the 2025 election, threats to candidates jumped 17 percent from the previous campaign.
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threats → jump → campaign
Earlier this month, police charged three men over separate threats to politicians and government officials, and three others were sentenced by courts.
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others → charge → courts
Senior opposition politician James Paterson on Wednesday called for a review of 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 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
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Paterson → ’ → Corporation
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
