Albanese: Hitting MP Helen Haines Was Deliberate; Investigation Includes Counter-Terrorism

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday that the car which struck an independent parliamentarian outside her office turned around before hitting her again, describing the incident as clearly deliberate.

Helen Haines underwent surgery overnight and remains in critical condition after being hit by a white Toyota Land Cruiser yesterday Monday in Wangaratta, located approximately three hours north-east of Melbourne by car.

Albanese told ABC News, "It is clear that what happened was a deliberate act. This was not an accident, nor was it simply someone veering off the road."

He added that initial investigations indicated the vehicle struck Haines while she was loading or unloading items from her car's trunk.

A 43-year-old man was arrested following the attack, and several agencies are involved in the investigation, including counter-terrorism authorities. Police noted that the man is expected to be questioned on Tuesday morning, emphasizing they are treating the matter as an isolated incident.

Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke told ABC Radio that witnesses reported the suspected attacker reversed the vehicle and struck Haines a second time before a passerby intervened.

Australian media reported that a person named Ricky Jeffries rushed out of his barbershop, grabbed the attacker, and disarmed him of a knife after initially believing it was just a car accident.

Jeffries told reporters outside his shop: "I heard a loud impact without any braking sound. It was crazy, I rushed outside to see what was happening."

Violent attacks on politicians are extremely rare in Australia, where federal legislators, state leaders, and even prime ministers are frequently seen in supermarkets and cafes, attend community events, and speak with voters under limited security measures.