Car hits Australian lawmaker, critically injuring her

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 19 Oct, 10:37 · Archive

A car struck Australian federal lawmaker Helen Haines, 65, critically injuring her outside her office in Victoria.

A Toyota Land Cruiser SUV hit Australian federal independent lawmaker Helen Haines, 65, outside her electoral district office in Wangaratta, Victoria on Monday, critically injuring her. Police said the incident may have been deliberate. The 43-year-old driver was arrested at the scene by a passerby and will be interviewed in relation to the incident. Police said a knife was located in the vehicle and seized.

Haines, first elected to Parliament in 2019, was taken to hospital with critical injuries. The incident has raised safety concerns for Australian lawmakers, who have historically been highly accessible to the public and typically go about their business without security officers.

Threat levels against Australian parliamentarians have been rising. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said in 2025 that threats against parliamentarians had doubled over the past three years. Police data showed more than 1,000 such threats against politicians in the 2025-2026 financial year, according to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on Monday.

How it is being reported

• Police say a car has hit an Australian lawmaker, critically injuring her; the driver was arrestedA car hit an Australian federal independent lawmaker on Monday, critically injuring her in a potentially deliberate act, police said.Clickorlando · 19 Oct, 09:36
• Police say a car has hit an Australian lawmaker, critically injuring her; the driver was arrestedA car hit an Australian federal independent lawmaker on Monday, critically injuring her in a potentially deliberate act, police said.News4Jax · 19 Oct, 09:36

In this story: Helen Haines · Australian Federal Police · Victoria · Wangaratta · Parliament · Tony Burke

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