October 20, 2026 — 12:07pm
Follow live updates on the Helen Haines attack The boss of the national spy agency says Australians need to show more respect and restraint in public debate to help lower the security environment, as independent MP Helen Haines remains in a critical condition after being struck twice by a four-wheel drive outside her electorate office and losing a leg as a result of her injuries.
Australian politicians described Haines as “the best of us” on Tuesday. The attack on her has alarmed state and federal MPs who have been subject to increasingly threatening behaviour in recent years, and Victoria is already contemplating increased security at next month’s state election.
Support for Helen Haines has come from across the political spectrum. Alex Ellinghausen ASIO director-general Mike Burgess said Monday’s incident had happened in an environment where increased levels of grievance, intolerance and polarisation had made violence seem permissible.
“I have repeatedly put on the record my concern about the use of violent rhetoric in public discourse. Words matter,” Burgess said in a statement.
“ASIO has seen direct correlations between inflamed language, inflamed tensions and acts of violence… I genuinely believe the temperature of our security environment would be several degrees lower if we recommitted to conversing with civility, debating with respect and disagreeing with restraint.”
A woman laying flowers outside Hel
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