Story perspectives

PM Activates Counter-Terrorism After MP Helen Haines Attack

By Drooid · Oct 19, 2026, 2:54 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Helen Haines Attacked

Independent MP Helen Haines was critically injured when a white Toyota Landcruiser struck her outside her Wangaratta office.
A 43-year-old driver from Tarrawingee was arrested at the scene by a passerby.
Police discovered a knife inside the vehicle during their search.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labeled the act deliberate and activated a counter-terrorism taskforce.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke noted 1,067 threatening incidents toward lawmakers in the 2025-26 financial year.

Summary

Police Activate Counter-Terrorism

Victoria Police, AFP and ASIO activated a Joint Counter-Terrorism Team.
The 43-year-old Tarrawingee driver, known to police, will undergo a mental health assessment.
Security camera footage captured a white Toyota Landcruiser near the office before the attack.
Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason said no intelligence indicates further community threats.
Two emergency vehicles responded and Murphy Street closed in both directions after the incident.

History

Historical Context

On 15–16 December 2014, Man Haron Monis held ten customers and eight staff hostage at Sydney’s Lindt Café, a 16-hour siege that killed manager Tori Johnson and patron Katrina Dawson. Prime Minister Tony Abbott was briefed on Monis’s licence status on 16 December, prompting a joint federal-state review released 22 February 2015 and an expanded counter-terrorism taskforce.

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Helen Haines Attacked

Independent MP Helen Haines was critically injured when a white Toyota Landcruiser struck her outside her Wangaratta office.
A 43-year-old driver from Tarrawingee was arrested at the scene by a passerby.
Police discovered a knife inside the vehicle during their search.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese labeled the act deliberate and activated a counter-terrorism taskforce.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke noted 1,067 threatening incidents toward lawmakers in the 2025-26 financial year.

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