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Australian MP Helen Haines critically injured in ‘deliberate’ car ramming
Al Jazeera • • world
Key Points:
- Australian independent lawmaker Helen Haines is in critical condition after being deliberately struck by a car outside her Wangaratta office, an act Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described as an attack.
- A 43-year-old male driver was apprehended by civilians and handed over to police, who found a knife in his vehicle; the motive for the attack remains unknown.
- The incident highlights growing concerns over increased threats and abuse toward Australian politicians, with Albanese noting a rise in hostile rhetoric, especially on social media.
- Haines, praised by Albanese as hardworking and decent, has been a vocal advocate for climate action and political transparency since entering parliament in 2019.
- Her family thanked emergency responders and requested privacy, offering no further comment on her condition or the incident.
