Helen Haines was chatting with locals at a dog park on Monday morning. By the afternoon, she was fighting for her life

<p>Australia’s politicians have been facing increasing threats and abuse. It can no longer be dismissed as social media noise or harmless comment</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/oct/20/helen-haines-independent-mp-alleged-car-attack-wangaratta-melbourne-hospital-ntwnfb">Follow our live blog for latest updates</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/19/mp-helen-haines-injured-incident-wangaratta-ntwnfb">Politicians condemn alleged attack after independent MP Helen Haines critically injured</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/19/who-is-helen-haines-the-mp-allegedly-attacked-in-victoria-ntwnfb">Who is Helen Haines, the MP allegedly attacked in Victoria?</a></p></li></ul><p>Victorian independent MP Helen Haines was at the opening of a dog park in Mansfield on Monday, out and about in the sprawling northern Victorian electorate, talking to locals and moving freely.</p><p>Later in the afternoon, at 3.35pm, she was unpacking a car outside her electorate office when a man understood to be known to authorities <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/19/helen-haines-alleged-attack-wangaratta-what-we-know-so-far-ntwnfb">struck her with his car</a>. He allegedly completed a U-turn when he saw Haines.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/20/helen-haines-was-chatting-with-locals-at-a-dog-park-on-monday-morning-by-the-afternoon-she-was-fighting-for-her-life-ntwnfb">Continue reading...</a>