WANGARATTA: Australian police charged a man on Tuesday over the alleged Helen Haines attack. The independent federal lawmaker remains in critical but stable condition after a car struck her near her office on Monday.
Victoria Police charged the 43-year-old Tarrawingee resident with dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury. He also faces the Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official.
Police intend to allege that he targeted Haines. Officers searched a property on Great Alpine Road in Tarrawingee on Tuesday morning.
Haines, 65, represents Indi in Victoria. Alfred Hospital in Melbourne confirmed that she underwent surgery on Monday night.
Meanwhile, police described the incident as apparently isolated and identified no other known connected threats. Officers are maintaining a presence in Wangaratta.
Read: Australian MP Helen Haines Critical After Vehicle Strike
Local barber Ricky Jefferies described pulling the driver from the car before searching him and finding a knife. He removed it from the man’s pocket and threw it away. Jefferies said the suspect had not drawn the weapon.
The suspect’s father, Rod Nugent, and his partner, Christine Cunningham, described the incident as “devastating and unfathomable”. They said they had known Haines for more than 20 years and offered to assist investigators.
Residents left flowers outside her Murphy Street office, while others attended a vigil. Haines entered parliament in 2019 after working as a nurse, midwife and public health researcher.
Read: ‘Kwaussie’ named Australian word of the year
The accused remains in custody and is due at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday. Police charged a man over the alleged car attack on Australian lawmaker Helen Haines, who remains critically injured.
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”.
