Australian MP loses both legs after alleged car attack, husband says

Australian MP Helen Haines loses both legs after car attack

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Australian independent lawmaker Helen Haines has had both of her legs amputated after being rammed by a car outside her electoral office, her husband said, as the suspected attacker appeared in court.

Doctors amputated the MP’s left leg after an attacker hit her twice with his car in Wangaratta, northeast of Melbourne, on Monday, Phil Haines said. They tried to save her right leg but failed to do so, he told a news conference on Wednesday.

The suspect in the attack, revealed to be a 43-year-old man called Brendan Nugent, made a brief court appearance on Wednesday. He has been charged with three crimes: dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing injury and causing harm to a public official.

Police are still investigating the motive for the attack. Australia’s federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett said there was no intelligence suggesting any threat to Haines.

Haines had worked in nursing, midwifery and academia ‌before being elected to parliament in 2019 for the rural seat of Indi, which she retained in 2022 and 2025.

Attacks on politicians are rare in Australia, but concerns have been growing in recent years as online abuse and threats against elected officials have risen.