Australia Lawmaker Injured
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, second right, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, third left, Victorian Premier Ben Carroll, Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Mike Bush, left, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett, obscured, and Victorian Police Minister Paul Edbrooke, right, hold a meeting following the attack on federal independent member of parliament, Helen Haines in Wangaratta, at the Commonwealth Offices in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026.
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Police have charged a driver with intentionally causing serious injury to Australian lawmaker Helen Haines. She is in critical condition after being struck by a car outside her office in Wangaratta, Victoria, on Monday. The driver, Brendan Nugent, remains in custody. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised a barber who helped restrain Nugent. Haines, an independent politician, was first elected in 2019 and is known for advocating for rural health. Her family expressed gratitude for the quick response of bystanders and health workers. Political violence is rare in Australia, but recent data shows threats are increasing.
