Australian MP Helen Haines Has Second Leg Amputated After Alleged Car Ramming
Independent MP Helen Haines is stable but critical after surgeons amputated her second leg following an alleged car ramming in Wangaratta. Her husband called her «a fighter», while the suspect appeared in court and politicians condemned the attack.
Australian independent MP Helen Haines has had her second leg amputated after she was struck by a car in an alleged attack, her husband has confirmed, describing her as «a fighter» who remains stable but critically injured in hospital. Surgeons amputated her left leg on Monday and then worked to save her right leg, but that limb was also removed as her condition was assessed.
The member for Indi was hit twice by an SUV in Wangaratta on Monday. Bystanders restrained the alleged attacker at the scene until police arrived. Brendan Nugent, the man accused of the ramming, appeared in court on Wednesday and was silent during his first appearance. The head of Victoria Police said the suspect, described as a so-called activist, had not been on the force's radar before the incident.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said a police interview with Nugent on Tuesday had been «extensive», but that the motivation behind the alleged «violent» attack remains unknown. Speaking about the wider implications, Albanese said the episode was «a reminder that the world is a more dangerous and divided place than it was a generation ago». He added that Australians want their politicians to be able to go about their business, «to be able to get something from the back of their car, for goodness sake».
The prime minister also acknowledged that politics has become more aggressive across the board, saying «every side included» must recognise the shift. He pointed to the particular impact on women in politics, who he said face «a different form of vilification and aggression». His comments came as politicians from across the spectrum condemned the alleged attack on Haines, who has been widely described as a principled MP respected across parliament.
Vigils have been held in Wangaratta and elsewhere as the community responds to the assault on a local representative known for her work in the north-east Victorian electorate. The case has renewed attention on the safety of elected officials and the tone of public debate in Australia, with the prime minister's remarks framing the incident as part of a broader deterioration in political conduct rather than an isolated event.
Haines, who holds the seat of Indi as an independent, was struck while going about routine business on Monday. The alleged attack left her with catastrophic injuries requiring emergency surgery, and her husband's update from the hospital confirmed the extent of the amputations while stressing that she was stable. Nugent's court appearance on Wednesday was brief, and the investigation into the circumstances and motive continues.
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