The man suspected of deliberately ramming his car into MP Helen Haines in rural Victoria has been named as Brendan Nugent, a local activist, while the 65-year-old MP remains in hospital in a critical but stable condition.
Suspect identified and arrested
Police arrested a 43-year-old man on Monday afternoon after Haines was reportedly hit by a Toyota LandCruiser 4x4 in Wangaratta, rural Victoria. Officials said it was 'not an accident'.
The suspect, now named by multiple news outlets as Brendan Nugent from nearby Tarrawingee, is set to be interviewed by police on Tuesday morning. A motive for the incident remains unclear.
Activist background and social media
Nugent is said to be a local activist. In the biography section of an account on social media platform X which bears his name, it said: "Plant person. The world should be run by children and dogs."
Melbourne news title The Age reported that Nugent 'strayed into "darker" things since his days protesting logging in the local forest', according to police sources.
MP's condition and witness account
Haines remains in hospital in Melbourne, where she is in a 'critical but stable condition' following emergency overnight surgery, home affairs minister Tony Burke said.
Burke also described the incident, saying: "What witnesses have described is the driver doing a U-turn to get into the car park and to ram Helen against a vehicle, then to reverse and do it a second time."
Barber hailed as hero
The incident has shocked Australia and put the spotlight on Ricky Jefferies, a barber next door to Haines' office. He has been called a 'hero' by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and local police chiefs have 'personally thanked' Jefferies for wrestling the driver from behind the wheel.
Jefferies spoke to reporters on Tuesday morning, saying: "I heard a loud bang, it was crazy, I just ran out the front to see what was happening. I did what I could and did what others were trying to do."
He added: "The driver was still in the car, the car was still on, and… a man sat in front of the moving car. I had no choice but to take him out of the car because it was the right and safest thing to do." Jefferies also said he 'took [a knife] out of his pocket and threw it away'.
Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason has called for any witnesses to come forward to police or contact Crimestoppers anonymously.
