Independent federal MP Helen Haines is in critical condition at Melbourne's Alfred hospital following an incident where she was struck by a vehicle outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, regional Victoria.
Authorities Investigate Deliberate Incident
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the incident was not an accident, noting that the driver appeared to make a U-turn after passing Haines while she was attending to the boot of her car. A joint counter-terrorism taskforce, alongside Victoria Police and the Major Collision Investigation Unit, is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Police have indicated that there is currently no indication that Haines and the driver were known to each other, and authorities have assured the public that they are treating the event as an isolated incident with no ongoing broader threat to the community. Political leaders across parliament have expressed shock and condemnation as updates on her condition continue to emerge.