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Australian independent MP Helen Haines has had both of her legs amputated after being struck by a car, her husband has confirmed.
Haines, 65, was injured in the incident on Monday in Wangaratta, around three hours northeast of Melbourne.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday morning, her husband, Phil Haines, said she was “alive and stable” after being hit by the vehicle twice.
He said: “The good news in all this is Helen is alive and she's stable. That is the most important thing for our family.”
The man accused of attacking the MP has appeared in court in connection with the incident.
Brendan Nugent, 43, from Tarrawingee, a town within Haines' parliamentary electorate, has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, and causing harm to a public official.
He is also facing separate charges relating to the cultivation and possession of cannabis.
Helen Haines is an independent member of the Australian Parliament who has campaigned on issues including climate change and housing in regional communities. She remains in a critical condition following the incident.
During the accused man's brief court appearance on Wednesday, his lawyer told the court that Nugent suffers from a rare neurological condition known as idiopathic transverse myelitis. The lawyer also said his client was receiving treatment for concussion, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The lawyer added that Nugent had some mental health concerns and that this was his first time in custody.
No bail application was made during the hearing, and the case was adjourned until 4 February. Anti-terrorism police are among the agencies involved in investigating the incident.
Australian police had received no specific warning about any imminent threat from the alleged attacker, Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters.
She said: “What I can say is we didn't have any specific intelligence that would have indicated something as atrocious as happened on Monday afternoon.”
Victoria Police Chief Mike Bush said investigators were working to establish the reason behind the incident.
“Motivation is one of these things that we absolutely need to explore,” he said.
“His motivation for this, what we allege is a deliberate attack, is very much a centrepiece of the investigation.”
Before entering politics, Haines worked in nursing, midwifery and academia. She was elected to the Australian Parliament in 2019 to represent the rural electorate of Indi, and she retained her seat in the 2022 and 2025 elections.
