Australian independent member of parliament Helen Haines speaks to journalists in the Press Gallery at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)

Australian lawmaker Helen Haines in critical condition after vehicle attack

· Yahoo News

By Alasdair Pal

SYDNEY, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Australian lawmaker Helen Haines was in a critical ‌condition on Monday after being deliberately struck ‌by a car outside her office in Wangaratta, police ​and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

Victoria Police said a 43-year-old man had been arrested after the attack on independent MP Haines in Wangaratta, around three ‌hours' drive northeast ⁠of Melbourne.

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Haines, 65, was airlifted to hospital, Albanese said.

"All of our thoughts ⁠are with Helen, her family, her friends, her team, and her community at this extremely difficult ​time. We ​are praying for ​her full recovery," Albanese ‌told a press conference.

Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason told a press conference there was no further threat to the public.

Albanese said it was too early to determine the motive for ‌the attack, though a terrorism ​taskforce would be investigating ​the arrested suspect.

"We ​thank the swift assistance of bystanders ‌and the dedicated health workers ​who assisted ​her, and police for their response," a statement by Haines' family posted on her ​Facebook page ‌said.

(Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney and ​Shivani Tanna in Bengaluru; Editing by Kevin ​Liffey and Saad Sayeed)