An Australian lawmaker was allegedly hit twice by a driver who made a U-turn before returning to ram into her outside her electoral office, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has said, as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as a deliberate act.Helen Haines, a 65-year-old independent MP representing Indi, remained in critical condition on Tuesday after undergoing surgery for injuries sustained in the incident in Wangaratta, Victoria, on Monday afternoon. She was initially taken to a local hospital before being airlifted to Melbourne for further treatment.“What witnesses have described is the driver doing a U-turn to get into the car park and to ram Helen against a vehicle, then to reverse and do it a second time,” Burke told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).Albanese said witnesses reported that the driver passed Haines as she stood near the boot of her parked car before turning around and returning to strike her.“This wasn’t something with a car just going off the road,” Albanese told Australian channel News24. “This is something that is very clear was aimed at causing harm to Helen Haines.”The motive behind the attack remains unclear, with Albanese urging people not to speculate while investigations continue. Australia’s national counterterrorism team, comprising police and intelligence agencies, is investigating the incident.The 43-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene and remained in police custody on Tuesday. No charges had been announced. A knife was also recovered from the suspect, police said.A bystander, identified as barber Ricky Jefferies, rushed out of his shop, pulled the driver from the vehicle and restrained him until police arrived.“I think every Australian is grateful for those moments when a hero like this runs towards the most dangerous place,” Burke said.The incident has renewed concerns over the safety of Australian politicians amid rising hostility towards public officials. Albanese said political discourse had become increasingly polarised, with too much shouting and too little constructive conversation. He also pointed to social media’s role in fuelling tensions.Victoria Police said investigators considered the incident isolated, adding there was no intelligence suggesting an ongoing threat to the wider community.
