Helen Haines attack, politics live: Albanese defends Haines ‘dirt file’ as Federal MP remains critical

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher says she would still encourage young women to get into public office despite the recent attack on Helen Haines and described her female colleagues as “defiant”.

MPs from across the political spectrum have raised serious concerns about safety since the allegedly targeted attack in Victoria on Monday afternoon and have spoken out about the constant death threats they face.

Social services Minister Tanya Plibersek said women in particular have been targeted with rape and death threats against them or their families.

“I can’t pretend that women across the parliament aren’t concerned about this. They are,” Gallagher told Nine’s Today show on Thursday.

“But many of them, and all of that I’ve spoken to, are quite defiant about it too.

“We’ve found our place at the table in politics. We now need to make sure that it’s safe and that people are supported to do their job well.”

WA Labor Minister Hannah Beazley on Wednesday revealed a man had made verbal threats to her staff after entering her Victoria Park electoral office with nunchucks.

In the wake of the alleged attack politicians have also reflected on their language with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterating calls to “turn the temperature down”.

Videos, audio, post and written quotes from politicians harassing and criticising each other have begun to emerge.

It includes Mr Albanese yelling “smash her” to his colleague Catherine King when she was criticising a Coalition member in parliament and Housing Minister Clare O’Neil writing it was time to “smash some Liberals” on a now deleted Instagram post.

Since the attack, Curtin MP Kate Chaney said she felt “embarrassed” by the rhetoric thrown across the chamber in Question Time, while fellow Independent David Pocock has described it as a “disgrace”

Speaking on ABC Melbourne radio on Thursday, Ms O’Neil said that Australians seemed “obsessed with conflict”.

“I feel like we live in a culture obsessed with conflict, and that is what Australians see of politics,” she said.

“That is not the whole picture. Yes, there is question time where people are very direct with each other, yes there are moments where someone at the fringes say things that shouldn’t be said.

“But did you know 80 per cent of legislation goes through with the support of nearly everyone in parliament?”

Ms O’Neil described the attack on Dr Haines as a “watershed moment” for Australia and a time to have a “reckoning for how we treat each other”.

“What has happened to her is a watershed moment for our country, and I think a moment of reckoning for how we treat each other.

“I say that not just about how we treat each other as politicians and how we think about this as a political issue.”

Anthony Albanese has defended a document circulated by his office about Helen Haines, insisting it was not a personal attack after she criticised grants awarded to a golf club in the Prime Minister’s electorate.

Mr Albanese has faced criticism over the document, which questioned the Independent MP’s motives for supporting funding for projects in her Victorian electorate of Indi.

On Thursday morning, the Prime Minister said the document demonstrated that elected representatives should advocate for their constituents, rejecting claims it targeted Dr Haines personally.

“Let’s be very clear because apparently it’s been published somewhere,” Mr Albanese told ABC radio.

“It’s a list of funding from Helen Haines, just showing that people of integrity stand up for their electorate.

“No personal criticism of Helen.

“Helen is a strong advocate for her electorate. She’s advocated for funding for projects in her electorate.”

Read more from The Nightly’s Cailtlyn Rintoul here.

Police have charged a man accused of entering WA Minister Hannah Beazley’s electoral office armed with nunchuks and threatening staff.

John Lawrence Smart allegedly entered Ms Beazley’s Victoria Park office just after 1pm on Wednesday.

Police allege that the 56-year-old threatened staff while in possession of the weapon before being arrested a short time later in nearby Bentley.

Mr Smart, from Bentley, faces has been charged with being armed in a way that may cause fear, making a threat to unlawfully do an act and possessing cannabis.

His bail has been refused and he is due to face court on Thursday.

A WA minister has spoken out after a man allegedly stormed her Perth electorate office while armed with nunchucks before threatening staff and “demanding access” to her.

Hannah Beazley — the State Minister for Local Government, Disability Services, Volunteering, Youth and Gascoyne — said the man was demanding to speak with her after entering her Victoria Park office about 1.15pm on Wednesday.

The 56-year-old man was arrested in the nearby suburb of Bentley and is assisting police. No injuries were reported.

The minister, who was not present at the time, said her staff were forced to call police after the man acted in a “very threatening” manner while armed with the martial arts weapon.

“Two staff were there at the time — he was right up at the security screen. He did try to lean through the security screen, but my staff were a safe distance behind,” she said.

“He did want access to me, I believe, but we don’t know his motivations at all.

“When he was escalated, they couldn’t actually understand what he was saying.”

​Read more. ​

Governor-General Sam Mostyn has spoken about the honour of being invited to speak alongside Helen Haines’ husband at a press conference on Wednesday night.

Ms Mostyn joined Phil Haines in an address to the media at The Alfred Hospital, where Helen Haines remains in a critical condition, confirming the Federal MP had both her legs amputated.

Reflecting on the emotional appearance in Melbourne, Ms Mostyn said she was honoured to have spent time with the Haines’ family in the days following the alleged attack.

“It’s a deeply, deeply emotional time for Phil and his broader family,” she told ABC on Thursday morning.

“I had the great honour before we did the press conference to spend time with his broader family, including two brand new little grandchildren.

“It’s just simply heartbreaking.

“I was very, very privileged to have Phil call me yesterday morning and ask if I would stand beside him as governor general and a friend of Helen’s to offer some remarks on behalf of the country.”

The Governor-General said it was necessary Australians band together and turn down political heat in the wake of the horrific incident.

“Australia’s story is still a good, strong one, and we shouldn’t forget that,” she said.

“That’s why I think, as a nation, we pause and think about, what are those new features that have crept into our system?

“Remind ourselves that we do the job, be curious about our democracy, learn about who we are as citizens, how we exercise our vote, and then show this deep kindness and care for each other, and not take that immediate descent into an attack, or viciousness or division.”

Voters and candidates will benefit from beefed-up security arrangements around the Victoria State election after Helen Haines was struck by a four-wheel-drive outside her electorate office in Wangaratta.

The incident has sparked debate about whether public officials are sufficiently protected from threats against their safety.

Premier Ben Carroll said additional security resources would be put in place for the November 28 poll.

“The (Victorian Electoral Commission), Victoria Police and all political parties take the safety of this election very seriously,” he told reporters.

“What has happened must be a turning point for political debate in Victoria and around Australia.”

He said the level of co-operation between Victoria Police and the electoral commission was “unprecedented”.

Federal shadow defence minister James Paterson said on Wednesday he feared the Victorian election could be a flashpoint for simmering community tensions.

Voting centres in his home state, he told ABC’s Radio National, could be a “focal point for people who were angry and frustrated”.

with AAP

Federal MP Helen Haines has spent a third night in hospital where she remains in a critical but stable condition.

In an update on Thursday morning, Melbourne’s The Alfred hospital confirmed Dr Haines’ condition remained the same after her second leg was amputated on Wednesday.

More information on the member for Indi’s condition is expected in another update from the hospital later today.

Dr Haines’ husband, Phil Haines, revealed specialists were left with no choice but to remove her right leg after fighting to save it.

“What took place on Monday was an horrendous incident. And it’s . . . caused Helen significant injuries,” Mr Haines said at a press conference on Wednesday night.

“And as of this afternoon, or this morning, the surgeons had to also remove her right leg.

“But the good news in all this is Helen is alive and she’s stable . . . that is the most important thing for our family.”