Australian MP Helen Haines had both legs amputated after being hit by a car outside her election office, her husband said Wednesday, as the man accused of the attack appeared in court.
Doctors amputated Haines’ left leg after the alleged attacker hit her twice with his car in Wangaratta, northeast of Melbourne, on Monday, Phil Haines said. They worked for days to save his right leg, but without success, he told a news conference in Melbourne.
“The good news in all of this is that Helen is alive and she is stable. That’s the most important thing for our family,” he said.
Brendan Nugent, a 43-year-old resident of the rural town of Tarrawingee in the electorate of Haines, was charged with three offenses: dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and causing damage to a public official.
Additional charges of cultivation and possession of cannabis were also filed against Nugent, according to court documents.
The suspect was restrained by members of the public present at the scene before being arrested.
Haines in critical condition after rare attack on Australian official
Haines, an independent lawmaker who has championed causes including climate change and regional housing, remains in critical condition.
The police are still investigating the motive for this rare attack against an elected official.
During a brief court appearance on Wednesday, the accused’s lawyer said his client suffered from a rare neurological condition called idiopathic transverse myelitis and was also being treated for a concussion, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. His lawyer told the magistrate that his client suffered from mental health problems and that this was his first detention.
No bail application was made and the case was adjourned to February 4.
Counter-terrorism police are among the agencies investigating the incident. Although police say the attack was “targeted”, they believe it was an isolated incident.
No intelligence suggested any threat to Haines, and Australian Federal Police received no warning of imminent danger from the alleged attacker, Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters.
“What I can say is that we had no specific intelligence that would have indicated anything as atrocious as what happened Monday afternoon,” she said.
Victoria Police investigating motive for Haines attack
Victoria Police said they had not found any past direct contact between Haines and the accused, with the motive still unknown.
“Motivation is one of those things that we absolutely have to explore. His motivation for this, what we allege was a deliberate attack, is a central piece of the investigation,” Victoria Police Chief Mike Bush said.
Bush declined to comment on the man’s mental health, saying the matter was before the court.
Haines had worked in nursing, midwifery and academia before being elected to Parliament in 2019 for the rural seat of Indi, which she retained in 2022 and 2025.
Violent attacks on politicians are rare in Australia, where federal lawmakers, state leaders and even prime ministers are often seen shopping, having coffee or attending community events with relatively little security.
However, concerns about politicians’ safety have increased in recent years amid growing political polarization, online abuse and threats against elected officials, prompting calls for more protections while preserving the accessibility that has long characterized Australian politics.
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