Parkes MP Jamie Chaffey has told federal parliament that Australians must watch their words, after an allegedly deliberate attack left independent MP Dr Helen Haines critically injured.
MPs from across the political divide paid tribute to Dr Haines, the Member for Indi, on Monday, 26 October, as parliament returned to policy debate.
Dr Haines was struck repeatedly by a four-wheel-drive outside her electoral office in Wangaratta. She has since had both of her legs amputated and remains in a serious but stable condition. Police are still working to determine a motive.
“We have heard today an outpouring of respect for Dr Helen Haines, the member for Indi, who in the course of serving her electorate has been severely injured,” said Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey.
“What happened to Dr Helen Haines outside her own electorate office is absolutely horrific,” he said.
“It is not an everyday happening, and we must ensure it never becomes just another headline in the newspapers.”
Labor backbencher Ali France said she knew what it was like to learn of such an attack.
“I felt like I couldn’t breathe, my chest hurt, and like the speed of light, my brain went straight to her fight for life,” said Ms France.
Ms France was seriously injured saving her youngest son from an out-of-control vehicle in a shopping centre car park in 2011, and had a leg amputated.
“I went there because I know it,” she said.
“What I do not know is being deliberately attacked, targeted at work by a member of the community I serve and love.”
Mr Chaffey said the threat did not stop at the doors of parliament.
“Today, people face hatred from others that they have never met,” he said.
“People within these walls face threats from people who have never had a conversation with them, never shared a meal with them and will never know the personal hurdles they face each and every day.”
He said the attack had shown that anyone, from a nurse to a builder to a teacher, could become a target while doing their job.
Politicians from all parties have shared experiences of threats of violence reaching their offices and families. Ms France called for a return to respectful debate.
“We must be better, and we must demand better from big tech and the online environment,” she said.
Her comments come ahead of the government’s Digital Duty of Care bill, which is set to be debated in the lower house on Wednesday, 28 October. Under the proposal, social media platforms would be forced to protect users under 18 from content that promotes crime or eating disorders, pornography, misogynistic content, and posts that cause distress.
Independent MP Dai Le called for action to represent Dr Haines’ constituents in her absence.
“If we are going to honour Helen, let’s make it count for her and her community,” said Ms Le.
She repeated Dr Haines’ push for increased funding to close the $9 billion gap in health spending between the cities and regional Australia.
“That is what Helen would fight for, and that is how we honour her,” she said.
Mr Chaffey said MPs must stay close to the people who elected them.
“We need to be a strong part of our community at every available opportunity,” he said.
“I would hope we are still living in the kind of country where we can continue to do this.”
He said Australians must be outraged together by events like this one.
“We need to measure our words and our actions and act in kindness so that we are not part of the problem and we’re not feeding the beast that will one day bite us all,” he said.
“Words do hurt.”
“But the good part of this equation is that words can also heal,” he said.
Mr Chaffey said Dr Haines herself had shown the way. After the attack, he said, she did not speak words of anger or self-pity.
“She said to the helpers, ‘Thank you, you lovely people,'” he said.
“We have a chance here to consider how we choose to continue. Let’s continue with kindness.”
Got something you want to say about this story? Have your say on our opinion and comment hub, New England Times Engage