Helen Haines has lost both legs, her husband says, as vigils are held for the Indi MP
Phil Haines said on Wednesday 21 October that his wife Helen Haines, the independent member for Indi, had her left leg amputated on Monday and her right leg removed on Wednesday morning, ABC News and Yahoo News Australia reported. She was struck by a vehicle outside her Wangaratta electorate office at about 3.35pm on Monday 19 October, according to reports carried by the Canberra Times. CBS News reported that she is in a critical but stable condition. ABC News reported on Thursday 22 October that she was still critical more than two days after the attack, and the Sydney Morning Herald reported a vigil in Wodonga. Brendan Nugent appeared in Wangaratta Magistrates' Court on 21 October charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, plus two cannabis offences, ABC News reported. He was remanded in custody, with a committal mention listed for 4 February 2027, and Victoria Police said further charges, including attempted murder, were not ruled out.
A federal charge of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official applies because Haines is a sitting MP, which is why Commonwealth and state agencies are both involved. If police add an attempted murder charge, the case moves from the Magistrates' Court to the Supreme Court of Victoria, which would lengthen the timetable and change how the evidence is tested.
Constituents in Indi can still reach electorate services through Haines's office, but the event has put the safety of electorate offices on the national agenda. The Wodonga vigil reported by the Sydney Morning Herald shows the level of local concern.
Haines's family, as quoted by ABC News, says the focus is on her survival and recovery and asks for respect for her privacy. Political leaders from across parties have condemned the act, and Albanese has described it as deliberate, according to the Canberra Times.
The Townsville Bulletin reported that some federal MPs are upset about the security briefings they received after the attack and want firmer protection for electorate offices. A federal minister told ABC News that threats against MPs are not new, which critics read as a reason for stronger action rather than reassurance.
Confirmed: both legs have been amputated, she is critical, and Nugent has been charged and remanded to 4 February 2027. Not confirmed: a motive, and whether further charges will follow. Watch for any police decision on an attempted murder charge and for a medical update from her family.
DailyDrop Australia edition No. 19 · Morning · FRI., OCT. 23, 2026