Australian MP Helen Haines critical after car attack

Australian independent MP Helen Haines is in critical condition after being struck by an SUV outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, northern Victoria, on Sunday afternoon. The incident occurred around 3:35 p.m. local time as Haines was unloading items from her vehicle.

According to Victoria Police, the vehicle involved was a white Toyota Land Cruiser. The driver, a 43-year-old man from the nearby town of Tarrawingee, was arrested at the scene after a bystander intervened and restrained him until officers arrived. Haines was rushed to hospital with serious injuries, and police said the circumstances of the incident remain under investigation.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed the suspect is in custody and that a comprehensive police investigation is underway. He said the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team has been activated, with the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation all participating in the probe.

Albanese described the incident as an attack but stressed it is too early to determine what motivated it. Police likewise said they are examining whether the collision was deliberate and have not yet established whether the suspect and Haines knew each other. No official determination has been made as to whether the attack was politically motivated or an act of terrorism.

Haines, 65, has served as the independent member for the Indi electorate since her first election in 2019. Before entering politics, she worked in the health sector as a nurse and midwife, and later in medical research.

Her family released a statement thanking the bystanders who assisted her, the medical teams, and the police who responded to the scene. Family members and her office staff asked the public and the media to respect their privacy while she receives medical treatment.