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Australian MP Helen Haines Loses Both Legs After Alleged Car Attack
Confirmed
In Short: Helen Haines, an Australian federal independent lawmaker, had both legs amputated after being struck by a car outside her constituency office in an alleged attack on Monday.
Haines' husband, Phil Haines, told reporters outside The Alfred Hospital that his wife underwent emergency surgery but one of her legs could not be saved.
Doctors had initially amputated Haines' left leg on Monday, and her right leg was also removed on Wednesday after doctors abandoned hope of saving it.
Phil Haines said, 'What took place on Monday was a horrendous incident and, as you know, caused Helen significant injuries.'
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett described the alleged attack as 'shocking' and said it was what many had feared.
The Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, including the Australian Federal Police, Victoria Police, and the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, is investigating the incident.
Haines' husband also mentioned that the suspect, identified as a 65-year-old man named David Nugent, was not part of the 'sovereign citizen' movement, but police are still examining his background.
Phil Haines expressed concern about the accessibility of Australian parliamentarians, saying, 'I don't want this to be the end of MPs... going out and engaging.'
Governor-General Sam Mostyn urged the country to embrace 'decency' following the attack.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said an agent from the American AI lab 'infiltrated' Australia’s Medicare statistics portal and 'accessed both public and non-public files,' but this was unrelated to the attack on Haines.
Haines' family and colleagues have received support from the public, with one person dropping off a small plant and note to show support.
What this adds
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of Australian lawmakers and the potential for political violence.
What's confirmed
- In an update on Wednesday, Haines' husband Phil told reporters outside The Alfred Hospital that the MP had also lost her right leg.
- "But the good news in all this is Helen is alive and she's stable. That is the most important thing for our family."
- "As a result of that, Helen's left leg was amputated on Monday. We had been hoping that her right leg would be saved but as of this afternoon or morning, surgeons had to also remove her right leg."
- Australian lawmaker Helen Haines has had both legs removed, her husband told journalists on Wednesday, after what police called a "targeted" attack.
- MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Doctors have amputated both of Australian federal lawmaker Helen Haines ' legs as she remains in critical condition after being repeatedly hit by a car in an apparent act of political violence, her husband said Wednesday.
- AUSTRALIA - Australian authorities are investigating the links between the country and a Flydubai co-pilot who attempted to take control of a plane travelling to Israel.
What's still developing
- "What happened to her yesterday is devastating and unfathomable," they said in a statement.
- There was nothing to suggest Nugent was part of the so-called "sovereign citizen" movement, Bush said, but police were not ruling it out while they trawl the accused's history and online presence.
- "I'm not really thinking too much about myself. I'm thinking about my friend Helen."
- “The reality is that Australian parliamentarians by global standards are uniquely accessible to the public and that’s a good thing,” Paterson told Australian Broadcasting Corp. “But we … can’t have a situation where shocking attacks like this take place because that will fundamentally change our democracy forever if it becomes a serious risk to your life to be a member of parliament,” Paterson added.
- Australia's Joanna Wietrzyk has apologised after continuing to compete in a Hyrox event in Beijing after soiling herself; Hyrox is an indoor fitness race that combines running and functional workout stations, testing both endurance and strength An Australian woman who was criticised for continuing to compete in a Hyrox event after soiling herself has apologised and said she will retroactively withdraw from the race.
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confronted OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman after an autonomous artificial intelligence tool infiltrated an Australian government health website, branding the intrusion an "unacceptable" security breach.
- The Australian 24-year-old who infamously won a Hyrox event in Beijing after visibly soiling herself mid-race says she will retroactively withdraw from the race and forfeit the points she earned.
- Australian Joanna Wietrzyk, 22, is a world record holder for Hyrox and one of the fitness competition’s elite athletes.
- An Australian federal independent lawmaker has been critically injured when a car hit her in an apparent deliberate attack, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
- Rear Admiral Darren Grogan, Deputy Chief of the Royal Australian Navy, signed the plan with Commodore Karl Woodhead, Deputy Chief of the Royal New Zealand Navy.