Residents of Wangaratta, a rural town in Victoria, Australia, are struggling to make sense of an alleged attack on their local federal MP, Helen Haines. Police say she was targeted and deliberately struck by a car on Monday afternoon, just outside her office. The town, home to nearly 30,000 people, is better known for its wineries and its annual jazz and blues festival.
Haines, an independent MP, was airlifted to Melbourne after the incident and had both legs amputated. Her husband, Phil Haines, said her heart and mind were in “good shape”. A local man faces at least three charges over the alleged attack, including intentionally causing harm, and appeared in court on Wednesday. Police said they are considering further charges, including attempted murder.
Locals struggle to understand why the MP was targeted
Australia’s Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, who represents King Charles, spoke at a press conference on Wednesday. She said people were “simply dumbfounded” and finding it hard to grasp the scale of the tragedy. Locals say the MP is not a divisive figure, and many cannot understand why she was allegedly targeted.
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Jane Hill, who runs a party supply shop a few hundred metres down the main street from where Haines was hit, said everyone in the town knows her. She described Haines as a kind person who attends celebrations and funerals alike, and said her family is the same. Wangaratta Mayor Irene Grant called Haines “cheerful” and “committed”, and pointed to her record on climate action and Indigenous rights.
The suspect is a local man whose father has been a close friend of Haines for decades. Locals have been left grappling with how the attack could come from within their community. Many have been answering questions from visitors about what the incident means for the town.
Haines’ political record and the bystanders who helped
Haines was first elected to parliament in 2019 and is best known for years of work to establish a national anti-corruption commission. She said she was spurred by a series of major political scandals, which she said had seen public money spent for political gain. The commission finally opened in 2023 under Anthony Albanese’s Labor government. Haines has also helped secure funding for housebuilding, railway improvements and health infrastructure in her region, which she argues has long been overlooked in favour of cities.
Before entering politics, Haines worked as a nurse and midwife. Victoria Police Commissioner Mike Bush said in a police update on Wednesday that she had given “wonderful support” to local police when two officers were shot dead in the nearby town of Porepunkah last year.
Bystanders who rushed to help recalled that Haines thanked them even as she lay severely injured. Jacklyn Black told Nine Network’s Today show that they had talked together while she spoke about her grandchildren. Cody Lepoidevin said Haines stayed as calm as she could while remaining grateful for the help she received.
Ricky Jefferies, who owns a barbershop next door to Haines’ office, said he ran to help when he heard the commotion and pinned the suspect down. “I don’t think I’m a hero,” he said. “I think that I just was a person who had an opportunity to intervene in a safe-ish sort of way.”
Vigil and tributes show community support
Floral tributes have built up outside Haines’ office, and a large printed photograph of her is displayed in its window. At Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral, a vigil drew a couple of hundred people who lit candles for her. Her husband said he had received “thousands upon thousands” of messages of love and support.
“Helen’s road to recovery will be long and difficult, but we know she is a fighter,” Phil Haines said. Austin Longfield, who lives in nearby Albury, said that whether or not people voted for Haines, she appeared to have the community at heart. He said such an attack was something he had not expected to happen in Australia.
