Helen Haines updates: PM says person in custody after alleged attack on Helen Haines; police say she is in critical condition

The Victorian premier, Ben Carroll, has issued a statement following the alleged attack on Helen Haines. It reads: I am deeply appalled by this violent attack on Helen Haines. My thoughts - and the thoughts of all Victorians - are with Helen, her family, her friends, her colleagues and her community. I know how devastating this will be for the Wangaratta community and all those who Helen represents.

Thank you to police, paramedics, firefighters and witnesses for their immediate response. An individual has been apprehended and I thank police for their swift action.

Albanese says ASIO, counter terrorism force examining potential motive Anthony Albanese says he wasn’t aware of any threats to Helen Haines’ before today’s incident. He says he won’t speculate on any motive, but that counter terror authorities are investigating it. We don’t know what motivation is.

So that is the work that’s being undertaken by the Victorian police together with the Australian Federal Police, but also ASIO are engaged, once we’ve established the counter–terrorism taskforce, that was established very quickly after this incident which was in the later hours of this afternoon.

Albanese says authorities will be “checking on the history of the person who is in custody” to try to establish motivation.

Haines’ ‘health issues serious’ says Albanese Anthony Albanese tells the ABC’s 730, this was a “very serious incident” and Helen Haines’ health issues are serious. He says he was initially informed it was a car accident. He then found out it was targeted and began making calls to police and the Victorian premier. This wasn’t an accident. And the suspect is in custody.

It then came through, the news, that this had occurred. I changed my arrangements. I spoke with the AFP commissioner Krissy Barrett, who is returning from home from work overseas. I spoke with Ben Carroll. Before this program, I briefed Angus Taylor, the Leader of the Opposition, who has offered his full support. And we just engaged as well, my office and team, with Helen Haines’ office.

Our thoughts, first and foremost, are just for Helen’s welfare, and we wish her a speedy recovery.

Federal politicians are reacting with shock to the incident involving independent MP Helen Haines, which prime minister Anthony Albanese called an “attack” this evening. Foreign minister Penny Wong posted on social media that: “My thoughts are with [Haines] her loved ones, friends, team and community following this shocking and deeply disturbing attack. We are all hoping for Helen’s full recovery.”

The Greens leader, David Shoebridge, wrote on X: “Horrified to hear of the apparent attack on my friend and colleague Helen Haines. Helen is an extraordinary human being and brings people together like few others. In grief and solidarity wishing her a complete recovery.”

Steph Hodgins-May, the deputy Greens leader, said she was: “deeply shocked and saddened to hear reports of an attack on my friend and colleague Helen Haines.” Helen is a wonderful person who cares deeply about her community and the people she represents. My heart goes out to Helen, and I wish her strength and a full recovery

Acting Supt, Ashley Mason, says he was “not aware” of any prior concerns or incidents related to Helen Haines before today’s incident. Asked how long the area will remain a crime scene, he says: We’ve got our investigators from the Major Collision Investigation Unit who are currently en route to Wangaratta from Melbourne.

So they’ve got significant travel time as well as the time it will take for them to thoroughly process the crime scene once they arrive, I think. There’s some talk that there might be specialist terrorist-related police involved in the investigation. We’ve notified our crime and counter-terrorism command and they’re currently liaison and assisting our investigators.

‘No ongoing threat to community’: Victoria police Mason tells journalists there is “nothing to indicate at this stage” that the two parties are known to each other, but police are still investigating. He says there is no ongoing or further threat to the community or any other individual at this stage.

I can provide some assurance to the community that we certainly do not have any intelligence that there is any further or ongoing threat to any other person or the broader community. We are treating this as an isolated incident at this point in time.

Acting Supt Ashley Mason is addressing the media in Wangaratta. He says police are still investigating whether the incident was targeted. We’ve still got a lot to work through here. As you can imagine, it’s been quite dynamic this afternoon. We’ve got quite an extensive crime scene.

We have investigators present and they’ll continue to work through and try and collect all available evidence to ascertain exactly what has occurred and how it has occurred. We’ve got the Major Collision Investigation Unit who are currently en route from Melbourne. Mason also will not confirm whether the incident was politically motivated.

Victorian police have released a statement, and said they have arrested a man who allegedly struck a women with a vehicle in Wangaratta. Police say the woman – known to be Haines – is in hospital with “critical injuries”. Police allege it was a white Toyota Landcruiser that struck Haines on Murphy Street at about 3. 35pm, and that there was a knife seized from inside the vehicle.

The statement says: When he exited the Toyota, the driver, a 43-year-old Tarrawingee man, was arrested at the scene by a passerby. He will be interviewed in relation to the incident. The woman was taken to hospital with critical injuries. A knife was located by police and seized from inside the Toyota. At this stage, police are investigating as to whether this was an intentional act.

It is not known yet if the parties are known to each other. Major Collision Investigation Unit detectives are en route. The investigation remains ongoing.

Albanese is asked whether the government knew about any threats made towards Helen Haines. Albanese says broadly, that he has called for the “temperature to be turned down” in political discourse. It is too early, though, to speculate on motivation, and we won’t be doing so. We’ll allow the authorities to do their work.

Obviously, Helen Haines has suffered … this is a serious incident, and so our thoughts are with Helen and her recovery at this time. He’s also asked about what security measures were in place for Haines ahead of the incidence. Albanese says security arrangements are made “based upon the threat levels which are there”.

Anyone who looks at comments made and directed towards members of parliament and high office holders – there is increased heightened risk has occurred. Our thoughts are just very much with Helen, her family, her community at this time. He ends the press conference there.

Albanese says his thoughts and his prayers are with Haines, her family and her community. Helen Haines is incredibly hard-working.

She is fiercely intelligent, but most importantly, she’s just a thoroughly decent human being, full of integrity and respected right across the parliament, and from everyone who comes into contact with her, she is a well-loved member of her community, and this will come as an incredible shock to that community. Our thoughts remain with Helen Haines at this very difficult time.

The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, says there has been an increase in reports of harassing and threatening behaviour against MPs and their offices in recent years. The year before last, we had 951 reports of harassing and threatening behaviour against various high office holders. The more recent financial year, that 951 has gone to 1,067.

Anthony Albanese is holding a press conference in Sydney, and says there is a major police investigation underway, and that a suspect is in custody. He says the motive for the alleged attack is not known. There is a major police investigation underway, and I can confirm that a suspect is in custody. The Australian Federal Police, Victorian Police, and Asio are working together on this.

The joint counter-terrorism team has been activated, but the motive is not known.

Nationals frontbencher Michael McCormack, whose electorate shares a border with Haines’ has written on social media: Sending my love and best wishes to Helen Haines for a full and speedy recovery. Such awful news.

Here’s what we know so far about the incident:

We’re expecting the prime minister and home affairs minister to speak shortly from Sydney.

Helen Haines’ family have released a statement to the media. They have thanked bystanders, health workers and the police. This afternoon, our beloved Helen was involved in an incident outside her Wangaratta Electorate Office, and is receiving medical care. We thank the swift assistance of bystanders and the dedicated health workers who assisted her, and police for their response.

Our family, and Helen’s staff, will be making no further comment at this time, and ask that their privacy be respected by the public and media. Please keep Helen in your thoughts.

Good evening, Krishani Dhanji with you here. We will be bringing you live coverage of the prime minister’s press conference, after an incident that has left independent MP Helen Haines injured. The incident took place near her office in Wangaratta in regional Victoria. Anthony Albanese and the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, will be speaking from Sydney shortly.

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