MPs say the apparent attack is their 'worst nightmare' come truepublished at 06:04 BST

06:04 BST

Tiffanie Turnbull
BBC News, Sydney

As increasingly frequent acts of violence against politicians have shocked the globe in recent years, Australia has watched on with a contradictory feeling: that attacks like that could not happen here, and that it was only a matter of time until they did.

But MPs and public figures – backed by experts – have been warning of a volcano of threats against them as social cohesion cracks, polarisation intensifies and the tone of debate grows hotter.

Coalition Senator James Paterson told News24 on Tuesday: "I'd like to say that I was surprised… but I'm not at all surprised."

MPs from across the spectrum have been describing a political climate in which they've found themselves wearing disguises in public, locking their office doors, and scanning every crowd for potential threats.

Women in politics are particularly scared, said Victorian state MP Georgie Purcell, who shares part of her electorate with Haines: "For many of us, the news... is our worst nightmare."

There have been frustrated rumblings in Canberra from some MPs who say security arrangements have not changed to match the threat and – if a political motivation for this incident is confirmed – one of the greatest tenets of the nation's political culture could now be at risk.

Read the analysis here.

Helen Haines, the independent federal MP for Indi, is in a "critical but stable condition", Australia's prime minister has confirmed.

"All of our thoughts are with Helen Haines today, with her family, her team, her many many friends and indeed her community as well," Anthony Albanese told the audience at an event in Melbourne this afternoon.

He also got a chance to chat to Ricky Jefferies, the local barber who pulled the driver out of the car that hit Haines and detained him until police arrived.

"It’s a reminder that at the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character," Albanese says, adding Jefferies ran into danger "not knowing what the consequences could potentially be for him".

Image source, Getty Images

An outpouring of thoughts and well wishes, in the form of flowers, has built up in the street outside Helen Haines' MP office in Wangaratta this morning.

The tributes illustrate Haines' popularity among members of her electorate.

Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Simon Atkinson/BBC News

Image source, Getty Images

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says he spoke with Anthony Albanese in the aftermath of the alleged attack on Helen Haines, and passed on "thoughts and prayers from New Zealand".

Speaking to journalists this morning, Luxon described the incident as a “terrible set of circumstances”.

"The facts haven't still come out as to what the motivation has been or was, but you know, a concerning development in Australia for sure," he said.

New Zealand's foreign minister Winston Peters said in an X post that "New Zealand is shocked by the attack on Australian MP Helen Haines".

"Violence has absolutely no place in politics," he wrote.

Katy Watson
Australia correspondent reporting from Wangaratta

At the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral here in Wangaratta, there’s a vigil taking place - several hundred people who’ve come to pay their respects and light a candle for Helen Haines who remains in hospital.

“It’s just something that you wouldn't expect in our community,” says Austin Longfild.

“You see it in other countries and it's just something that I didn't comprehend could happen here, and then it's just happened down the street.”

He’s full of praise for Helen Haines: “Seeing how she advocates for the community, she seems pretty authentic,” he says.

“Whether you vote for her or not, she seems to have the community actually at heart so that’s all you can really ask for, for a politician that represents your community.”

Image source, BBC: Katy Watson

"I was just trying to not get injured and trying to not let anyone else be injured after the initial incident," Ricky Jefferies told local media.

He said he had "no choice" but to pull the alleged attacked out of his car. "It was the right and safest thing to do."

Helen Haines, the independent federal MP for Indi, remains in a critical condition in hospital after she was hit by a car outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, Victoria, yesterday afternoon.

Here's the latest:

• Haines, 65, was airlifted to the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne where she underwent surgery last night. Some local media outlets are reporting she has lost one of her legs
• A 43-year-old man from nearby Tarrawingee was arrested at the scene after he was detained by bystanders. He has now been named by local media as Brendan Nugent, who was previously well known in the local area as an environmental campaigner
• Police are questioning the suspect and weighing up charges, which could include causing harm to a public official, an offence which carries a ten-year jail term
• The driver reportedly did a U-turn to get into position before hitting Haines, then reversed and hit her again, the home affairs minister has told reporters
• Politicians from across the political spectrum, including PM Anthony Albanese, say the incident has left them shaken

• The country is in shock as political violence is rare in Australia, though fears of such attacks have been growing

Stay with us as we bring you the latest updates.

Image source, Getty Images

Local media are reporting the name of the 43-year-old man arrested yesterday as Brendan Nugent.

It's understood Nugent, from nearby Tarrawingee, was an environmental campaigner with an interest in anti-logging issues.

Nugent was detained by bystanders in the moments after he allegedly drove into Helen Haines outside her electorate office on Monday afternoon.

Haines remains in critical condition in a Melbourne hospital.

Katy Watson
Australia correspondent reporting from Wangaratta

Helen Haines’ office is on Wangaratta’s main street, which has now reopened to traffic and cars are slowly filing past.

On the window is a large decal of Dr Haines, smiling at her electorate.

This apparent attack has shocked this small community, and of course the country more broadly.

On the pavement outside her office, there’s a growing number of bouquets being left for her.

Every so often, another member of the community walks by, stops, and lays another one down.

One card reads "may you recover quickly and continue to be a light in this world". Another thanks her for all the "wonderful" work she has done.

Image source, EPA

We know Helen Haines was taken to hospital with severe injuries to her lower body yesterday, and that she underwent surgery overnight after being airlifted to a Melbourne hospital.

This morning the Australian Broadcasting Corporation has reported that the MP has lost one of her legs.

Nine News has also reported this.

The last we've heard from officials is that Haines is in a critical condition.

Image source, ABC News Australia

Fellow independent MP Allegra Spender has been telling ABC News "many people have feared that there would be some sort of violent incident against Australian politicians".

"I think this is of huge concern, because I think we take pride in the fact that in Australia, politicians are just like anybody else, you treat them just like anybody else, but they’ve got to be accessible, and that’s really important," she says.

Asked if Australia has been so far been sheltered from the type of political violence seen towards MPs in the UK, she says “we’ve done better in this country, and we have to continue to do better, and that means in terms of violence against politicians but frankly - abuse of people in our hospitals, in our supermarkets."

"This is part of a trend that we I think a country, not just as politicians, we need to step up and say, we don’t want to see this sort of violence in language and violence in attitude."

"We are collectively responsible for that."

Political leaders have condemned the apparent attack on independent MP Helen Haines who remains in a critical condition in hospital.

Australia's opposition leader Angus Taylor says it is a "shocking day for our nation" and that Australians will be "angry and appalled" by the attack.

"Our nation cannot become a place where violent attacks are normalised," he says.

The Greens leader David Shoebridge says the notion that Haines was targeted for her work is "horrifying, senseless, and shameful".

“We cannot let political violence become the norm and I believe that politics grounded in non-violence is a powerful way to address this threat.

And Senator Pauline Hanson, leader of One Nation, says: "Violence against any elected representative, whoever they are and whatever they stand for, is never acceptable in Australia".

Steve Manning, the independent candidate for Ovens Valley, in north-east Victoria, says that a vigil will be held for Helen Haines in Wangaratta this afternoon.

Manning told Australia's national broadcaster, the ABC, that those who wished to take part should come to the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral at 1pm local time.

Image source, EPA

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) Commissioner has just released a statement about Helen Haines with an update on the 43-year-old man who was arrested shortly after the incident.

The AFP and Victoria Police are "working closely together to identify potential charges," says Krissy Barrett, with possible state and Commonwealth offences including causing harm to a public official which carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.

"At this stage it appears this is an isolated incident, and there are no known threats connected to this matter," she says.

The investigation is being led by Victoria Police's security investigation unit with support from the state's joint counter terrorism team, which is includes the AFP and ASIO, Australia's spy agency.

Federal police have regularly raised concerns about "growing threats against federal parliamentarians and high office holders," Barrett says, and last October, a special unit was established to probe politically-motivated violence and hate, with 41 people charged as a result.

Image source, Getty Images

The head of Australia's intelligence services, Mike Burgess, has issued a statement warning that increased levels of "grievance, intolerance and polarisation continue to create a permissive environment of violence" in Australia.

He says that the agency, ASIO, is concerned about the "use of violent rhetoric in public discourse".

"This incident occurred in an environment where politically motivated violence is more likely than previous years," he writes.

He also repeats an earlier warning, first made in 2024, that "As polarisation, frustration and perceived injustices grow, ASIO anticipates an increase in politically motivated violence – including terrorism – across all ideological spectrums.

"Attacks are likely to occur with little to no warning and will be difficult to detect.”

Image source, Getty Images

Zali Steggall, an independent MP in Sydney, says she's seen a "huge rise" in hate and aggression towards politicians, especially female ones.

"It's deeply concerning," she said in an interview with the BBC's The World Tonight programme.

"It is unfortunately a reality of the role, but it shouldn't deter us. I think the haters win if we let this kind of aggressive behaviour deter in particular women, from entering public life and serving in politics."

Steggall, who sits next to Helen Haines in federal parliament, described her colleague as an "amazing woman" who is "deeply loved and respected".

"A key part of her advocacy in politics has, in fact, been around integrity for a national anti-corruption commission, but also around treating each other with respect, recognising our differences."

Haines had recently become a grandmother, Steggall says, and "would often share with me the photos of her baby grandchildren".

Image source, Getty Images

The driver who allegedly hit Helen Haines with his car reversed so he could ram into her a second time, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has said.

"What witnesses have described is the driver doing a U-turn to get into the car park and to ram Helen against a vehicle, then to reverse and do it a second time," Burke told national broadcaster ABC this morning.

As we reported earlier, a bystander ran towards the car, pulled the driver out and held him until police arrived.

"I think every Australian is grateful for those moments when a hero like this runs towards the most dangerous place," Burke said.

Image source, Getty

Simon Atkinson
Australia reporter

Helen Haines may not be a household name in Australia, but since Monday afternoon's incident it has become clear she is held in high esteem by her fellow politicians and her local community.

There is clearly a lot of love for the former nurse and midwife who came to politics fairly late after a career in health - including at the Wangaratta hospital where she was first taken after the attack - before being flown to more specialist care in Melbourne.

As an independent MP, Helen Haines isn't someone he always agreed with, Anthony Albanese has said but he talked warmly of her "integrity" as a "hard-working" politician who is a "beacon of light" for her rural electorate.

These are words coming up again and again, along with "respected". Perhaps her biggest win in politics has been leading the campaign for a national anti-corruption body.

Another independent MP, Allegra Spender, calls her a "wonderful woman" and "an extraordinary representative for her community".

"When I have an ethical dilemma, when I want to understand rural communities, when I want to hear commonsense, I speak to Helen."

Not much unites politicians in Australia at the moment, but across the divide nobody has had a bad word to say about Helen Haines - adding to the shock that is being felt here.

Image source, Getty Images

Threats to Australian politicians were rising before Haines incidentpublished at 00:17 BST 20 October

00:17 BST 20 October

Tiffanie Turnbull
BBC News, Sydney

As increasingly frequent acts of violence against politicians have shocked the globe in recent years, Australia has watched on with a contradictory feeling: that attacks like that could not happen here, and that it was only a matter of time until they did.

But MPs and public figures – backed by experts – have been warning of a volcano of threats against them as social cohesion cracks, polarisation intensifies and the tone of debate grows hotter.

According to government statistics, there were 1,067 reports of "harassing and threatening behaviour" against "high office holders" in the year to June: an increase on last year.

"We tend to bury our head in the sand and say, 'Not here', but this has been happening now for well over a decade," Josh Roose, a Deakin University Professor on violent extremism, tells the BBC.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese swiftly described Monday's incident as an apparent attack, and though he stressed no motive had been confirmed, he got emotional as he talked about the growing fear amongst MPs that they would end up targets.

Read the analysis here.

Let's bring you some more comments from Australia's prime minister who's been speaking this morning about yesterday's incident.

Talking to ABC News Breakfast, the leader was asked if he felt personally shaken by the incident.

"I do," he replies. "And the fact that an incident like this can occur - there is something that does shake all of us."

"It will have an impact on all Australians, not just members of parliament."