Australian lawmaker critically injured in apparent deliberate car attack

An Australian federal independent lawmaker, Helen Haines, was critically injured after being hit by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV outside her electoral district office in Wangaratta, Victoria, police reported.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the incident as a deliberate act and confirmed the driver was arrested at the scene by a passerby.

Authorities recovered a knife from inside the vehicle, and police are investigating whether the attack was intentional, with the national counterterrorism team involved in the inquiry.

Haines, first elected to Parliament in 2019, was taken to a hospital with critical injuries, according to police.

The attack has raised concerns about the safety of Australian lawmakers, who traditionally have been accessible to the public without security officers, amid rising threats and public incitement against officials.

Police data cited by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke indicated over 1,000 threats against politicians occurred in the 2025-2026 financial year, with threats doubling over the past three years, according to the Australian Federal Police Commissioner.