Australian Federal Police commissioner Krissy Barrett says police are “charging almost one individual every week for targeting Commonwealth parliamentarians or high office holders”.
double quotation markThe current criminal threat environment is febrile and, when it comes to federal parliamentarians, the AFP continues to record the growing volume of online abuse, threatening rhetoric, and intimidation, increasing political polarisation, and antigovernment sentiment, conspiracy–driven and grievance–based behaviours, lone actors motivated by a convergence of personal grievance, mental health vulnerabilities, and ideological concerns, and the potential for violence to emerge with little or no forewarning – particularly where individuals have no previous protection intelligence footprint.
The chief commissioner of Victoria Police, Mike Bush, commended authorities for taking eight seconds for police to respond to the alleged attack of Helen Haines in Wangaratta.
Updated at 18.36 EDT
Key events
Barrett was asked about the increasingly radicalised political views espoused views the man accused of attacking Helen Haines allegedly posted on social media. The AFP commissioner was asked whether the AFP was aware of any of his posts on X and other social media.
“We didn’t have any specific intelligence that would have indicated something as atrocious as happened on Monday afternoon,” Barrett said.
“We absolutely do proactively use online capabilities to gather intelligence and a huge part of my priority as the commissioner is how do we better utilise technology?
“You would understand that the increasing volume of online communication becomes increasingly more difficult for our agencies to be right across.”
Updated at 18.38 EDT
Helen Haines’s electoral office is less than 100 metres from Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court, where Brendan Nugent is expected to appear after 9.30am.
This morning, the court is surrounded by media cameras awaiting his arrival, while her office remains shuttered. Dozens of flowers and cards have been left for her in the hours since her attack, many in her signature orange.
“To doctor Helen Haines, to show you some support you’ve shown us through difficult times,” one reads from the eastern region of Victoria Police.
Another, in child’s writing, says simply: “To Helen Haines, you’re very nice.”
Tributes and flowers are seen for independent federal MP Helen Haines at her electorate office in Wangaratta Photograph: James Ross/AAPShare
Speaking at the same press conference, the Australian Federal Police commissioner Krissy Barrett has said the current “criminal threat environment is febrile”. She told reporters commonwealth parliamentarians were becoming increasingly worried about threats directed at them and at their staff.
“The national security investigations teams are charging almost one individual every week for targeting Commonwealth parliamentarians or high office holders.”
Barrett said the national security investigations teams were established late last year.
“The purpose of setting them up was because of the increasing number of threats and the increasing number of reports that we’re receiving from parliamentarians and from their staff, but also our own proactive intelligence work in terms of identifying and addressing these threats and this type of communication, particularly in the online space.”
Australian Federal Police commissioner Krissy Barrett says police are “charging almost one individual every week for targeting Commonwealth parliamentarians or high office holders”.
double quotation markThe current criminal threat environment is febrile and, when it comes to federal parliamentarians, the AFP continues to record the growing volume of online abuse, threatening rhetoric, and intimidation, increasing political polarisation, and antigovernment sentiment, conspiracy–driven and grievance–based behaviours, lone actors motivated by a convergence of personal grievance, mental health vulnerabilities, and ideological concerns, and the potential for violence to emerge with little or no forewarning – particularly where individuals have no previous protection intelligence footprint.
The chief commissioner of Victoria Police, Mike Bush, commended authorities for taking eight seconds for police to respond to the alleged attack of Helen Haines in Wangaratta.
Updated at 18.36 EDT
Police considering further charges against alleged attacker
The chief commissioner of Victoria police, Mike Bush, has told reporters the 43-year-old charged over the alleged attack on Helen Haines was currently facing three charges: the commonwealth offence of causing harm to a commonwealth public official; and two state charges of intentionally causing serious harm, and dangerous driving causing serious harm.
But Bush said police were considering further serious charges. He was asked directly whether the man could be charged with attempted murder.
“That’s always a consideration,” Bush said.
“Of course, we have to locate and follow the evidence, but this is a very serious and tragic incident, and we will be looking at all serious charges.
“But, of course, we have to have the evidence to support those charges.”
Updated at 18.26 EDT
Motive of alleged attacker still not known following police interview: PM
Tess Ikonomou
Anthony Albanese has described the police interview on Tuesday with Brendan Nugent as “extensive” but that the motivation of the alleged “violent” attack against Helen Haines is still unknown.
double quotation markCertainly, it’s a reminder that the world is a more dangerous and divided place than it was a generation ago.
But I think that Australians do want to see their politicians be able to go about their business, to be able to get something from the back of their car, for goodness sake.
Speaking to ABC radio, the prime minister said “there’s no question” women in politics face more harassment than their male counterparts.
double quotation markMy side, every side included. We all have to recognise that politics has got more aggressive.
The particular impact on women in politics … [They] have got a different form of vilification and aggression towards them as well.
Updated at 18.24 EDT
Cait Kelly
Regional Victorian community grapples with the unfathomable
Wangaratta remains in shock. The main street is quiet, aside from a large media throng outside Haines’ office. The front door is slowly being obscured by cards and flowers, as community members leave messages hoping for a quick recovery.
On the streets, locals reflect the mood. They’re a tight-knit community where nothing like this happens. The shock is palpable. For the quiet regional city, it’s hard to comprehend.
Updated at 18.11 EDT
Helen Haines remains in critical condition, hospital says
There has been no change to Helen Haines’s condition at the Alfred hospital in Melbourne. She “remains in a critical condition”, the hospital said Wednesday morning.
Haines has lost one leg and surgeons operated Tuesday in an effort to save her other leg.
“A further condition update will be shared late afternoon, when available,” the hospital said.
Updated at 17.55 EDT
Tess Ikonomou
David Pocock says security risks have caused him to move house several times
The independent senator David Pocock has had to move house several times since being elected to federal parliament in 2022, over safety concerns.
The former Wallabies captain told the Canberra Times the growing security risk threatened his young family.
Security measures for parliamentarians and rising political violence are front and centre following the targeted attack against Helen Haines, which has left the Victorian MP with critical injuries.
Pocock will address the National Press Club in Canberra on Wednesday for the first time in his political career.
David Pocock. Photograph: Sarah Wilson/AAPShare
Updated at 17.56 EDT
Politicians say more security would ‘let bad people win’
The alleged attack on Helen Haines is something long feared by politicians amid an increase in hostility towards those in public life, ranging from social media abuse to death threats.
But, Josh Butler reports, most don’t want more security that would “lock them off” from voters. “You can’t let bad people win,” said one.
Read his full report here:
Updated at 17.12 EDT
‘This is your moment to think about what your politics looks like’, says sister of murdered UK MP
The sister of murdered UK MP Jo Cox has said the attack on MP Dr Helen Haines could be a moment for Australia to “find common ground” and change the way politics is practised in this country.
Cox was killed in 2016, shot and stabbed by a far-right extremist outside a library as she prepared to meet with constituents.
Her sister, Kim Leadbeater, is now the MP for the electorate her late sister held.
“Maybe for Australia this is your moment to think about what your politics looks like and how we can bring people together [and] find common ground,” she told the ABC’s 7:30.
double quotation markThat was something my sister was brilliant at and I would imagine it’s something Helen is good at.
I am devastated for Helen and for her family, her friends, her colleagues, her staff, that I am probably one of the few people, I suppose, that can understand a little bit of what they’re going through.
British MP Kim Leadbeater. Photograph: Jaimi Joy/Reuters
Leadbeater said it was frustrating that the tenor and tone of UK politics had not changed in the decade since her sister’s death.
double quotation markI find it really frustrating that we’re having the same conversation and every time something so horrific happens.
Leadbeater said while political debate should be robust, she said the deterioration of public debate towards coarseness and personal attacks was part of a broader societal trend.
double quotation markThings don’t happen in a vacuum and horrendous attacks and incidents like this don’t happen in isolation.
They are part of a wider culture around politics and society [and] we all have a role to play in that.
Updated at 17.04 EDT
Prayer vigil held in Wodonga for Haines
Parishioners gathered for a prayer vigil for Dr Helen Haines at St John’s Anglican Church in Wodonga evening on Tuesday evening. Members lit candles and prayed as a group for Haines’s recovery led by the Venerable Canon Scott Jessup, Archdeacon of the Hume, with some of those present visibly upset.
A prayer vigil for Helen Haines at St John’s Anglican Church in Wodonga last night led by the Venerable Canon Scott Jessup, vicar of Wodonga and Archdeacon of the Hume. Photograph: Mridula Amin/The GuardianA woman at the vigil in Wodonga. Photograph: Mridula Amin/The GuardianA prayer vigil for Helen Haines at St John’s Anglican Church in Wodonga last night. Photograph: Mridula Amin/The Guardian
Among the group were those who knew Haines personally including Dr Lachlan McKeeman, who trained under her and was endorsed by the MP as an independent candidate in the upcoming Victorian state election.
double quotation markHelen is a much-loved friend and mentor of mine, and we’ve been advocating for our health service locally. She’s the kind of person that would check in on doctors [to see] if they’re OK after doing a press conference about the cultural issues at the [Albury-Wodonga] hospital.
He said he still couldn’t find the words to describe what happened to his friend while she “was at work serving her community”.
Mayor of Wodonga, Michael Gobel, was also present at the vigil, saying Haines was someone he admired deeply.
double quotation markI was gutted when the news came through … she’s a person of incredible integrity.
Updated at 17.03 EDT
Independent Tracee Hutchison says she will not run in Victorian election
Tracee Hutchison will not run in Victoria’s state election in November, despite winning almost a quarter of first preferences at the byelection in May, citing rising violence towards women.
Speaking to AAP, Hutchison shared her distress for Helen Haines and also recalled her personal experience of “a sustained, organised harassment and bullying campaign”.
double quotation markThe verbal harassment I experienced, and that the women my team did, was unlike anything I had anticipated.
Hutchison said she reported threats and feeling unsafe to the Victorian Electoral Commission every day during pre-polling.
double quotation markThere is no framework for the officers to do anything other than come out to the polling booth and tell everyone to behave. They then go back inside and people kick off again.
Independent candidate for the seat of Nepean Tracee Hutchison in May this year. Photograph: Ian Currie/AAPShare
Updated at 16.54 EDT
Alleged attacker appearing at Wangaratta magistrates court this morning
Helen Haines’s alleged attacker, Brendan Nugent, has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and the commonwealth offence of causing harm to a commonwealth public official.
Brendan Nugent will appear in court this morning to face three charges after the alleged attack. Photograph: Australian Broadcasting Corporation/Reuters
He was held overnight to appear at Wangaratta magistrates court this morning at 9.30am, Victoria police confirmed in a statement, adding that it would be alleged the attack was targeted.
Read the full story here:
We’ll have all the developments as they happen.
Updated at 16.39 EDT
Good morning
Good morning and welcome to our rolling coverage of the attack on Helen Haines.
A man will appear at Wangaratta court at 9.30am this morning charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally cause serious injury and the commonwealth offence of causing harm to a commonwealth public official.
Before that, Victoria’s police chief Mike Bush and AFP commissioner Krissy Barrett will give a press conference in Melbourne at 9am to give a briefing about the investigation.
We’ll have all the latest developments.
Updated at 16.38 EDT