Helen Haines loses both legs after car deliberately hits her twice
Independent MP Helen Haines lost both legs when a car hit her twice outside her office; a man has been charged.
Helen Haines, the independent member for Indi, remains in hospital after a driver allegedly hit her twice deliberately outside her electorate office. A man has been charged, though the motivation remains unclear.
The attack has triggered urgent national discussions about politician safety, particularly for women. Federal police data shows female parliamentarians receive disproportionate abuse, often including threats of graphic sexual violence.
The social services minister Tanya Plibersek received an anonymous note saying her children should die of cancer. Pauline Hanson was told online someone would hunt and kill her.
Anne Aly had 19 death threats in a single week. A UN report found women in public roles face online violence at rates more than twice as high as men, and 41 per cent linked real-world attacks directly to online abuse.
Why it mattersRising violence against elected officials, especially women, threatens their safety and ability to serve, and raises urgent questions about how online hatred translates into real-world harm.
AustraliaAustralian politicians across all parties report increasing threats tied to online abuse, prompting debate about how parliament and social media companies should respond to protect elected representatives.
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