Independent MP Helen Haines critically injured in alleged car attack in Victoria

Summary

Victorian independent MP Helen Haines was critically injured in an alleged car attack outside her electorate office in Wangaratta on Monday afternoon. Earlier that day she had attended the opening of a dog park in Mansfield and spoken with locals in her electorate of Indi. At about 3.35pm, while she was unpacking a car, a man understood to be known to authorities allegedly made a U-turn when he saw her and struck her twice with his car. She was airlifted from Wangaratta to Melbourne's Alfred hospital for emergency surgery on Monday night, and reporting says she is in critical but stable condition after losing one leg. Police named the alleged driver, 43-year-old Brendan Nugent, on Tuesday. Victoria police, the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and counter-terrorism investigators are involved in the investigation. Politicians have condemned the alleged attack, a barber who rushed to help Haines was praised by the prime minister, and commentary says threats and abuse against politicians can no longer be dismissed as social media noise.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   19 Oct 2026, 21:14 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Haines was chatting with locals at a dog park opening in Mansfield on Monday morning, and that at 3.35pm she was struck by a car that allegedly completed a U-turn when the driver saw her, while she was unpacking outside her Wangaratta electorate office.

2. The Guardian

   20 Oct 2026, 05:18 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian's podcast reports that Haines is in critical condition after losing a leg, that police named the alleged driver as 43-year-old Brendan Nugent on Tuesday, and that Victoria police, the Australian Federal Police, ASIO and counter-terrorism investigators are involved.

3. The Guardian

   20 Oct 2026, 06:24 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that the alleged driver made a U-turn and struck Haines twice, that she was airlifted to Melbourne's Alfred hospital for emergency surgery on Monday night, and that she is in critical but stable condition after losing one leg.