The father of the man charged with the deliberate car attack on Australian MP Helen Haines has revealed that the veteran Independent lawmaker was a friend of his family for more than 20 years — a disclosure that has deepened the shock around the assault outside her regional Victorian office that cost Haines a leg and left her fighting for her life.
A devastating family statement
Rod Nugent, the father of 43-year-old suspect Brendan Nugent, and his partner Christine Cunningham issued a statement on Tuesday via The Age: "Helen has been our friend for more than 20 years and what happened to her yesterday is devastating and unfathomable."
The statement also called Haines "a deeply respected, valued and much loved member of our local community," thanked the community members and police who came to her aid, and said the family would "be assisting Victoria Police in any way we can."
Cunningham is a health executive who has led Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital and Northeast Health. A photograph of her with Haines was posted on the MP's Instagram account in April 2025, underscoring the closeness between the families.
What happened in Wangaratta
The attack unfolded at about 3:35pm on Monday, October 19, outside Haines' electorate office on Murphy Street in Wangaratta, in north-east Victoria. Witnesses said a white Toyota LandCruiser made a U-turn before striking the MP at the boot of her car, then reversed and hit her again — with witnesses reporting two or three impacts.
Haines had been about to walk into her office for an ABC radio interview about the new National Anti-Corruption Commission commissioner. The 65-year-old is the Independent federal MP for the seat of Indi, which she has held since 2019. A former nurse, midwife and medical researcher, and a mother of three, she has built a reputation as an anti-corruption champion in federal parliament.
A local barber, Ricky Jefferies, whose shop sits next to the electorate office, pulled the driver from the car, found a knife in his pocket and threw it away before detaining him. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese later called him a hero.
Charges and investigation
Brendan Nugent, from the tiny town of Tarrawingee about 10 minutes from Wangaratta, was charged on Tuesday with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury, and a Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment. He is due to face the Wangaratta magistrates' court on Wednesday, October 21.
Police have described Nugent as an environmental and forestry campaigner with anti-Israel and anti-logging views expressed online. He was known to police and underwent a mental-health assessment after his arrest. Albanese has been unequivocal about the nature of the attack: "This wasn't an accident. This was a deliberate act."
The investigation is being led by Victoria Police with the Joint Counter Terrorism Team, involving the Australian Federal Police and ASIO. AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett has described it as an isolated incident with no known related threats, though she cautioned that a motive has not been established.
Critical condition
Haines was airlifted to Melbourne's Alfred Hospital, where she underwent surgery overnight. One leg had to be amputated, and doctors are fighting to save the other. She remains in critical condition, with her husband Phil, daughter Georgia, and sons Nick and Will at her bedside.
The attack has prompted a security briefing for federal MPs and a wave of condemnation across the political divide, with leaders urging calm as the investigation continues.
Watch: ABC News reports on the attack on MP Helen Haines and the police investigation (video)
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