Australian lawmaker loses both legs after alleged vehicle attack



Home and office safety a common concern in Australian federal police and Asio safety briefings with politicians following alleged attack on MP Helen Haines
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Security agencies will review safety precautions for MPs’ homes and offices after numerous federal politicians told police and Asio in safety briefings that they were worried about widening threats after the alleged attack on Helen Haines.
The Labor government and politicians across the parliament are still considering how they will respond when they return to Canberra next week, with ideas being floated including a new committee on MPs’ safety, greater resources for police, and motions of condolence for Haines, who lost both her legs after Monday’s incident. Renewed calls from the crossbench for reforms to question time and the tone of debate in parliament are unlikely to be taken up by the major parties.
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© Photograph: James Ross/EPA

© Photograph: James Ross/EPA

© Photograph: James Ross/EPA
Independent senator’s goals ‘much bigger’ than prime ministership, he reveals in first speech to National Press Club
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He’s six foot tall and full of muscle, but David Pocock’s real strength is often sounding like the most sensible, commonsense voice in the room.
At his first speech to the National Press Club on Wednesday, he said he wasn’t launching a bid for prime minister – no matter how much some people might like the softly spoken senator to have more say in federal politics.
A 25% tax on gas exports, which he said could fund anything from boosting welfare to health reforms and aged care.
A 5% levy on datacentres to capture more benefits from the AI boom.
Transparency reforms to shine a light on lobbyists, secret meetings with politicians and vested interests.
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© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

© Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP
AFP commissioner says MPs are generally concerned about growing volume of abuse and intimidation
The head of the Australian federal police has condemned a “febrile” political environment that has seen one person charged every week over the alleged threatening of MPs, as Victoria announces new steps to protect politicians.
But the AFP and Victoria police insist they had no intelligence to suggest 43-year-old Brendan Nugent would go on to allegedly drive a Toyota LandCruiser into the independent MP Helen Haines in a targeted attack.
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© Photograph: PR IMAGE

© Photograph: PR IMAGE

© Photograph: PR IMAGE
Independent MP was struck by a car on Monday and her alleged attacker appeared in court on Wednesday
Anthony Albanese has described the police interview on Tuesday with Brendan Nugent as “extensive” but that the motivation of the alleged “violent” attack against Helen Haines is still unknown.
Certainly, it’s a reminder that the world is a more dangerous and divided place than it was a generation ago.
But I think that Australians do want to see their politicians be able to go about their business, to be able to get something from the back of their car, for goodness sake.
My side, every side included. We all have to recognise that politics has got more aggressive.
The particular impact on women in politics … [They] have got a different form of vilification and aggression towards them as well.
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© Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

© Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

© Photograph: Mike Bowers/The Guardian

La parlamentare federale indipendente Helen Haines è rimasta ferita in un incidente stradale davanti al suo ufficio nello stato di Victoria. Il premier Anthony Albanese parla di “un attacco mirato”, secondo quanto riferito dai giornali locali. Un SUV ha travolto Haines, provocandole gravi lesioni alla gamba.
Il giornalista di Melbourne Edward Godfrey ha spiegato che il dipendente di un salone da barba lì vicino ha raccontato al telefono che alcuni passanti avevano bloccato il guidatore del fuoristrada subito dopo l’impatto, scoprendo che l’uomo aveva un coltello a serramanico in tasca.
I familiari della donna confermano che l’episodio è avvenuto all’esterno della sua sede elettorale a Wangaratta, sempre nella regione di Victoria. La deputata, di 65 anni, è stata investita da una Toyota Landcruiser bianca verso le 15:35 ora locale.
Le forze dell’ordine hanno fatto sapere di essere al lavoro per capire se “si sia trattato di un atto intenzionale”, pur precisando di escludere una “minaccia in corso per la comunità”. Dal canto suo, Albanese ribadisce che “non si è trattato di un incidente” e che “sembra esserci stato un atto deliberato”, aggiungendo che le indagini vedono già il coinvolgimento della polizia antiterrorismo.
L'articolo Australia, la deputata Helen Haines travolta da un suv davanti al suo ufficio: è grave proviene da Affaritaliani.it.

