Haines remains in serious but stable condition as parliament pauses for tributes

Opposition leader Taylor and One Nation MP Joyce reject debate changes

Australia’s federal parliament paused on Monday for tributes to independent MP Helen Haines, her husband Phil and her staff, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese leading the tributes. The pause came a week after Haines was allegedly the target of an attack outside her electorate office, and the episode has created debate about the safety of MPs and the state of the political environment.

Haines remained in serious but stable condition at Melbourne’s Alfred hospital. She lost both legs as a result of the alleged ramming attack, and a 43-year-old man has been charged. The motive for the incident remains unknown and the investigation is continuing.

Albanese praised Haines as “a fighter” with a deep love of her community. He told parliament the shock from the alleged attack was “like a stone in our hearts.” During the tributes, an orange cockatoo — an emblem adopted by Haines — was placed in her seat.

Against that backdrop, opposition leader Angus Taylor rejected calls to change parliamentary practice to cool political debate. He said, “In the past week, it has been suggested by some there is a causal connection between robust parliamentary debate and political violence,” and added, “I disagree with this view.”

Taylor said, “The Westminster system is about settling differences through robust and rigorous debate, not violence.” He added, “Importantly, we debate with adversarial vigour, but we never allow that vigorous parliamentary debate to spill over into violence. People who resort to intimidation and violence cross a line that must never be crossed.”

Taylor described political violence as a rejection of tradition and a refusal to accommodate difference and disagreement. He said Labor had been right to call out far-right extremism in Australia but argued that all extremism should be rejected. He called for judges to “come down harder” on people found guilty of intimidation or violence.

Taylor said, “Another thing we must do is celebrate Australia more readily. Too many Australians have been taught to feel guilty and shame about our country and about our history.” He asked, “Is it any wonder that some feel deep animosity towards our democracy, our institutions, and our nation?”

One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce told News24 his thoughts and prayers remained with Haines and her family and called the alleged attack “so unAustralian.” Joyce said Australia and the world were seeing “a change in dynamics,” while parliament had a part to play but would not be a solution to the problem.

Joyce linked those changing dynamics to issues including the Palestinian march across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and “the vindictive, arsenic type of rhetoric that we see in the public realm.” He said changing question time would not change Australia: “I think it’s foolish to think if question time changes, Australia changes. Not necessarily, in fact highly unlikely.”

Albanese called on politicians and voters not to shrug off what he described as a “very real rise in anger that distorts and corrodes our public discourse.” He said: “Enabled by the anonymity and speed afforded by social media, we are seeing rage and aggression increasing, not just in politics, but towards workers in hospitality and retail, in schools and in hospitals, towards police, paramedics, and other officials, we are seeing a normalisation of the language of grievance and violence.” The safety of MPs has been among the issues in debate since the alleged attack.

MPs were being encouraged to sign a civility pledge during the week, promising to act with honesty, respect and compassion. Speaker Milton Dick told parliament all MPs were thinking of Haines and praying for her recovery.

Dick said, “We look forward to the day you return to this place, and I get to say the following nine words: ‘I give the call to the member for Indi.’”

Crossbencher Zali Steggall said Haines wanted politics that chose “kindness over hate.” Steggall said, “It’s time to defuse the tension and consider how our words are being received by others in the community beyond this place.”