Human rights commission says ‘violence has no place in our society’ after alleged attack – as it happened

The independent member for Indi has lost her leg and remains in a critical condition after being rammed by a vehicle, in what has been labelled an allegedly targeted attack.

Haines was allegedly hit by a Toyota LandCruiser outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, northern Victoria, at about 3.35pm on Monday afternoon.

She was airlifted to a Melbourne’s Alfred hospital and is fighting for her life after undergoing surgery overnight, with sources confirming to AAP the MP had lost one of her legs.

We’re wrapping up our live coverage of the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines.

Helen Haines was critically injured in an alleged attack outside her Wangaratta electorate office in regional Victoria on Monday afternoon.

Haines remains in a critical condition at Melbourne’s Alfred hospital, where she underwent surgery overnight. The independent MP has lost one of her legs, with surgeons on Tuesday working to save her other leg.

Politicians from across the political spectrum have expressed their support for Haines, her family and local community. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, described her as “kind, compassionate, a person of integrity”.

State and local representatives across the Indi electorate released a statement calling Haines “the best of public service”.

Many have also expressed their concern about the rise of online hate, and violent and threatening rhetoric. New Zealand’s prime minister, Christopher Luxon, described the incident as a “terrible set of circumstances” and “a concerning development in Australia, for sure”.

The alleged attacker, now in custody, has been named as 43-year-old Brendan Nugent, a long-term forestry campaigner in the state’s north east. Environment campaigners who worked with Nugent several years ago have expressed shock at his arrest.

A major investigation is under way, with Victoria police and the Australian federal police working to identify potential charges.

Speaking on the ABC’s Afternoon Briefing program, the federal finance minister said:

double quotation markThe idea that [an] MP had been hurt outside their electorate office doing their work, [and] that it was Helen Haynes, was just horrific.

Devastating, I think is the word I would use, and I think that’s being felt right across the political spectrum and across her electorate and across Australia.

It’s hard to get your head around, that life can change like that in a moment, for Helen. And to be critically injured and to be going through what she and her family are going through today as a consequence of her work, and her job standing up for her electorate, is just absolutely devastating.

Surgeons working to save Haines’ other leg

The man accused of attacking Helen Haines allegedly made a U-turn before ramming the independent MP twice in an alleged targeted attack near her electorate office, causing her to lose one of her legs.

The member for Indi was airlifted from Wangaratta in northern Victoria to Melbourne’s Alfred hospital for emergency surgery on Monday night.

Surgeons were on Tuesday fighting to save Haines’ other leg, as the 65-year-old remained in a critical condition.

The alleged attack on Helen Haines on Monday took place outside her Wangaratta electorate office.

The incident happened about 3.35pm and involved a four-wheel drive, which allegedly U-turned before striking Haines. The independent federal MP is in a critical but stable condition at Melbourne’s Alfred hospital and has lost one of her legs.

A 43-year-old man has been taken to Wangaratta police station for questioning.

This map shows how the events allegedly unfolded.

The Australian Human Rights Commission has expressed shock and sadness at the attack on Helen Haines. In a post to social media, the commission said:

double quotation markEveryone should be safe at work and in life. Violence has no place in our society.

Everyone should be treated with respect, irrespective of their political opinions, gender, faith, race or background.

Parliamentarians must be able to carry out their duties safely. This attack happened against a backdrop of increasing polarisation and threats against politicians. We must address intimidation, hatred, threats and violence that undermine our democracy and democratic institutions.

Zoe Daniel: ‘It was obvious … someone would get physically hurt’

The three-time ABC foreign correspondent and former independent member for Goldstein, has written a comment piece after the alleged attack.

double quotation markIt was obvious to those of us who work in and around politics, that eventually, someone would get physically hurt.

The fact that it’s Helen Haines, arguably the best of all of us, not just as a politician but a person, is unbearable.

Some of us community indies have T-shirts that say, “What would Helen do?”

They were a gift from the member for Kooyong, Dr Monique Ryan, a few years ago.

And while it was a bit funny at the time, it’s not a joke.

Helen is the one you go to when you’re grappling with the moral quandaries that arise frequently as an MP, in a job when a binary yes/no vote sometimes feels impossible. With intelligence, warmth and deeply held ethics, she represents the very backbone of the parliament.

‘Don’t send that nasty comment’: Hastie joins calls to turn the temperature down

Liberal frontbencher Andrew Hastie said he’s shocked and saddened by the alleged attack on Helen Haines, and also had concerns about his own safety and of others in Parliament.

“It’s always in the back of my mind”, he said, “which is why I stay fit and I take precautions”. Hastie was recently given extra security by the government due to threats on himself and his family, and says more broadly that the temperature needs to be turned down, particularly on social media.

Speaking to ABC radio this morning, Hastie said:

double quotation markBe a better steward of Australian democracy. The worst thing we can do right now is point fingers at our political opponents and say…