Indi MP Helen Haines critically injured in alleged attack: What we know so far
Independent MP Helen Haines is in a critical condition after she was allegedly attacked outside her office in regional Victoria.
Brendan Nugent, 43, has been charged after allegedly hitting the federal member for Indi with a four-wheel drive in a targeted attack on Monday.
Haines was airlifted to hospital in Melbourne from Wangaratta and underwent surgery on Monday. Surgeons amputated one of her legs.
This is what we know so far.
The prime minister says Helen Haines “is so loved and admired”. Alex Ellinghausen
What happened?
Police allege a white Toyota LandCruiser hit the 65-year-old on Murphy Street in Wangaratta about 3.35pm on Monday.
Haines suffered critical injuries.
Victoria Police said officers found and seized a knife inside the vehicle.
Police say a passerby detained the driver, while several stepped in to offer immediate first aid.
What did the police say?
Police were working to establish the motivation for the alleged attack, including whether it was politically motivated.
Speaking to media on Wednesday, Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush said it was still too early to point out an exact motive for the alleged attack.
He added there was no “prior intelligence” on Nugent that police were aware of.
“We had no intelligence holdings against this 43-year-old individual,” he said.
“And there was nothing known to us that would have … piqued our interest or given any indication that he was an immediate threat.”
He added there was no evidence to suggest Nugent is a sovereign citizen, and said there was no evidence that he and Haines were in personal contact before the alleged attack.
Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason. Today
Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason described the crime scene as “extensive”.
Mason spoke to Today on Tuesday morning, where he said police had worked into the night in their initial investigations.
He reiterated his call for anyone who may have witnesses the alleged attack to come forward.
“Anyone who was in Murphy Street in Wangaratta at around 3.35pm yesterday afternoon, if you have not already made contact with police, if you could do so and do that by contacting Crime Stoppers,” he said.
Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Mike Bush saluted the bystanders who intervened to restrain the alleged attacker, and praised first responders.
CCTV shows a white Toyota Landcruiser near the office of Helen Haines. 9News
A large area is cordoned off near Helen Haines’ office. Nine
What do we know about the alleged attacker?
Brendan Nugent was charged on Tuesday night with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, and the Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official.
In a brief appearance in Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday morning, the court heard of mental health concerns regarding Nugent and he made no bail application.
Wearing a grey, long-sleeved top, Nugent looked around the room at the crowd during the hearing before standing and nodding to acknowledge the magistrate’s explanation.
The court heard Nugent was suffering from concussion and that he had idiopathic transverse myelitis.
Transverse myelitis is an inflammation of the spinal cord, which can cause sharp pain, strange sensations in the patient’s limbs, weakness of the arms and legs, and bladder and bowel problems, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Nugent’s next scheduled court date will be a committal hearing in Wangaratta on February 4 next year.
What do we know about the hero barber?
We now know that several bystanders rushed to stop the alleged attacker, and performed a citizen’s arrest before police arrived.
One of the people involved was Ricky Jefferies, who runs a barbershop near Haines’ electoral office.
He saw the alleged attack unfold, and was able to pull a 43-year-old man from the car, and disarmed him.
Ricky Jefferies speaks to media outside of his barbershop. Today
“I just leaned over him, and once it was, you know, once he was on the ground and he was no longer a threat, I just stood with him and told him that he can’t leave, [but that] ‘everything is all right, mate’,” Jefferies said.
Jefferies was reticent to accept praise, instead insisting that others also deserves to be recognised for their courageous actions to stop the alleged attack.
“They did so much more than me, the other people here, they deserve the credit,” he said.
Despite this, Jefferies was praised by politicians on all sides of parliament.
“It’s got to be said here that at this dark and terrible time, an element of light is that a good Samaritan, someone, rushed to Helen’s defence,” Albanese said on the Today show.
“That person is a hero today.”
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce echoed the prime minister’s sentiments.
“We see the best of Australia, which is Ricky, who looks at it, analyses the issue in a microsecond and puts his life at risk to make sure that he apprehends the person who allegedly has done this action,” Joyce told Today.
What condition is Helen Haines in?
On Tuesday night, Victoria Police said Haines was in a critical but stable condition after she was airlifted to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne, where she underwent surgery.
She has lost one leg and 9News understands doctors are fighting to save the other one.
On Wednesday morning, The Alfred said Haines remained in a critical condition, and that her family was by her bedside.
What have impacted families said?
The accused’s father, Rod Nugent, and Rod’s partner, Christine Cunningham, said Haines had been friends with the family for decades, describing what happened as “devastating and unfathomable”.
“Helen Haines is a deeply respected, valued and much loved member of our local community,” the couple said in a statement sent to the media on Tuesday.
“Helen has been our friend for more than 20 years and what happened to her yesterday is devastating and unfathomable.
“All of our love and all of our thoughts are with Helen and her family and friends.”
On Monday, the Haines family released a short statement in the hours after the incident.
“This afternoon, our beloved Helen was involved in an incident outside her Wangaratta Electorate Office, and is receiving medical care. We thank the swift assistance of bystanders and the dedicated health workers who assisted her, and police for their response,” they said.
“Our family, and Helen’s staff, will be making no further comment at this time, and ask that their privacy be respected by the public and media.
“Please keep Helen in your thoughts.”
What is Haines’ background as an MP?
Haines was first elected in the seat of Indi in 2019.
She is a former nurse and midwife who says she got into politics as she “believed politics could be done differently – more honest, more transparent, and more focused on people”.
Helen Haines was elected in 2019. Nine
She became the first independent elected to succeed another independent, Cathy McGowan, in the federal parliament.
She lives on a cattle farm with husband Phil and has three children.
Haines also has several grandchildren, and bystanders who helped her after the alleged attack said that Haines spoke about them.
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