Deliberate car ramming leaves Australian MP Helen Haines critically injured in Wangaratta

Crash outside Wangaratta office

Police said a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV hit Haines outside her office in Wangaratta, about 200km (124 miles) northwest of Melbourne. The 65-year-old suffered critical injuries, Victoria police acting superintendent Ashley Mason said, without naming her.

Bystanders detained the 43-year-old male driver and handed him to police, Mason said. Officers found a knife in his car.

Albanese calls it deliberate

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told ABC on Monday that the incident was not an accident and called it a deliberate act. He said his thoughts were with Haines, her family, friends, team and community, and expressed hope for her recovery.

Albanese said the alleged attacker’s motive remained unknown. Australia’s counterterrorism squad was activated. He also described Haines as hardworking, intelligent and decent.

Family asks for privacy

Haines’s family said she was receiving medical care after an incident outside her Wangaratta electorate office. They thanked bystanders, health workers and police for their assistance and response. The family said it would make no further comment and asked the public and media to respect their privacy.

Concerns over threats to politicians

The incident follows a steady rise in threats and abuse directed at Australian politicians, documented by federal police in recent years. Politicians have traditionally been accessible to the public and generally conducted their work without security.