Helen Haines, the Australian MP struck by a car outside her constituency office in an alleged attack on Monday, has had her second leg amputated, her husband has announced.
Addressing the media on Wednesday afternoon, Phil Haines said: “Helen is alive and she’s stable. That is the most important thing for our family.”
Surgeons on Monday had amputated Ms Haines’ left leg on Monday night after she was airlifted to hospital. The 65-year-old was struck twice by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV outside her electoral district office in Wangaratta in Victoria.
A suspect identified as Brendan Nugent, 43, faces three charges over the alleged attack on the Independent MP, as police consider bringing additional charges against him. He remained silent during his first court appearance earlier on Wednesday.
Providing an update to the media on behalf of their family, Mr Haines said his wife’s road to “recovery will be long and difficult, but we know she is a fighter.
“She is a determined person who will do her best with our support and love to recover. And that is what we hope for.
“Her heart is huge. She is a very compassionate, caring, loving person, incredibly supportive of all around her; her family, her community, anybody she comes across and her mind.
“We are grateful and thankful that, at this stage, both her heart and her mind are in good shape.”
He said that the couple will celebrate their 40th anniversary in November and, in the last four months, have welcomed four grandchildren.
Thanking the public for the support that has been extended to the family, Mr Haines paid special tribute to first responders at the scene of the alleged attack on Monday, including police, paramedics and the members of the community.
“One thing I’ve learned in the last two days, reinforced by many people, is to take things day by day. I know it’s a cliche, but it’s a cliche for a very good reason.
“So I thank you all for being here. I thank you for listening. And please keep sending Helen your love and our family as well.”
Australia’s governor-general Sam Mostyn said she was “touched” to be invited by Mr Haines to attend the press conference, and also expressed gratitude towards the first responders.
She reiterated that Ms Haines’ recovery would be taken “day by day” after what she described as Monday’s “violent attack”.
She called on Australians to “do what I imagine Helen would be doing if she was not the victim of this terrible attack” and to “not descend into violence and chaos and division”.
The incident has shocked Australia, a country where political violence is rare and politicians have always been accessible to the public. Most MPs and even senior ministers go about their work and personal lives without being accompanied by security teams.
Prime minister Anthony Albanese, who characterised the attack as deliberate, called for a calming of political rhetoric in the wake of the incident, and thanked bystanders for intervening. He also spoke with local barber Ricky Jefferies, who helped detain the suspect.
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