SYDNEY: Australia's prime minister and fellow parliamentarians led sombre tributes Monday (Oct 26) to "beacon of decency" and colleague Helen Haines, who remains in hospital after being struck by a car outside her office a week ago.
A widely liked independent lawmaker known for campaigning against corruption and for action on climate change, the alleged attack on Haines has prompted soul-searching in a country where political violence is rare.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pointed to her empty seat while paying tribute to the lawmaker's "empathy, kindness and compassion" as Australia's parliament met for the first time since the incident.
"The shock from what happened last Monday is like a stone in our hearts," Albanese said.
"Right now, our friend and colleague is in hospital, grievously injured. The shape of her life and her family's lives changed forever," he said.
He paid tribute to the bystanders who offered help to Haines, describing it as "the best of the Australian character".
And he bemoaned a rise in public anger "that distorts and corrodes our public discourse".
"We are seeing a normalisation of the language of grievance and violence," Albanese said.
Deputy prime minister Richard Marles described her as a "beacon of decency".
Haines remains in a serious but stable condition in a Melbourne hospital as of Monday morning.
Her husband, Phil, has said that surgeons had been forced to amputate both her legs in an effort to save her.
Haines's alleged attacker - 43-year-old Brendan Nugent - fronted court for the first time on Wednesday.
He has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury and intentionally causing serious injury, as well as the federal crime of harming a public official, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
His motive remains unknown and authorities will not speculate while the investigation is ongoing.
But police said last week they were examining all possible leads, including that Nugent may have held radical anti-government views.
They have documented a surge in threats against Australian lawmakers in recent years - with 1,067 incidents reported to police in 2025 alone.
Federal police chief Krissy Barrett said on Sunday there was a correlation between intense political rhetoric and threats against lawmakers.
"Sometimes it's very immediate," she told national broadcaster ABC.
"Words matter, and we do see the flow on impact from that." - AFP
