Man charged with attack on Australian MP as suspect's father says she is family friend
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Man charged with attack on Australia MP to face court
Image source: AFP via Getty Images
Image caption: The community in Wangaratta remains in shock after the alleged attack
By
Katy Watson
,
Australia correspondent
,
Reporting from
Wangaratta, north-east Victoria
and
Phelan Chatterjee
Published
9 hours ago
A 43-year-old man has been charged after Australian MP Helen Haines was hit by a car in the state of Victoria on Monday.
The suspect will appear in court on Wednesday to face charges of:
- Dangerous driving causing serious injury
- Intentionally causing serious injury
- The federal offence of causing harm to a public official
Local media earlier named the alleged attacker as environmental activist Brendan Nugent. His father and his partner said they had been friends with Haines "for more than 20 years" and thanked residents and officers who helped her after the "shocking and horrific crime".
Haines remains in a critical condition after surgery and is reported to have lost one of her legs.
"Helen Haines is a deeply respected, valued and much loved member of our local community," Rod Nugent and his partner Christine Cunningham said in a statement.
"All of our love and all of our thoughts are with Helen and her family and friends."
They promised to assist Victoria Police "in any way we can".
Police say they will allege the incident was targeted.
Haines, 65, the independent member for Indi, is in a critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery at a Melbourne hospital.
Image source:
Getty Images
Image caption: Helen Haines sits as an independent MP for the electoral division of Indi in Australia's state of Victoria
She was airlifted there after bystanders rushed to help.
A local barber who was there says he pulled the suspect out of his car.
"I don't think I'm a hero. I think that I was just a person who had an opportunity to intervene in a safe-ish way," said Ricky Jefferies.
Others who helped "didn't even check for danger", he added. "The car was still on and they sat in front of a rolling car, that's not an exaggeration."
In their statement, Victoria Police say a highway patrol unit was nearby at the time of the incident and "on scene" within eight seconds of the call coming through.
As they announced the charges against the 43-year-old, they said they had searched a property in Tarrawingee, around 12km (7.5 miles) from Wangaratta.
"At this stage it appears this is an isolated incident, and there are currently no other known threats connected to this matter," they said, adding officers would maintain a presence in Wangaratta.
Haines won the seat of Indi as an independent in 2019, and has since become a prominent member of the crossbench, building rapport across Australia's increasingly divided political spectrum.
The community, and country, remain in shock.
At a vigil on Tuesday, locals queued patiently in the aisle of the Holy Trinity Cathedral, waiting for their turn to light a candle. Priests hugged some of those who came to pay their respects.
Wangaratta's main street, where Haines's office is located, had reopened to traffic. Cars slowly filed past the growing number of bouquets being left for her on the pavement.
One card read: "May you recover quickly and continue to be a light in this world."