{"id":635,"date":"2026-10-21T18:30:19","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T18:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/21\/australian-lawmaker-loses-both-legs-after-alleged-vehicle-attack-national-globalnews-ca\/"},"modified":"2026-10-21T18:30:19","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T18:30:19","slug":"australian-lawmaker-loses-both-legs-after-alleged-vehicle-attack-national-globalnews-ca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/21\/australian-lawmaker-loses-both-legs-after-alleged-vehicle-attack-national-globalnews-ca\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian lawmaker loses both legs after alleged vehicle attack – National | Globalnews.ca"},"content":{"rendered":"

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An Australian lawmaker hit by a car outside her electoral office has had both legs amputated following the alleged attack, her husband said Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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Victoria Police allege that the incident was targeted<\/a>, after a white Toyota Landcruiser struck Helen Haines<\/a> outside her office on Monday.<\/p>\n

The 65-year-old independent politician is receiving treatment in a Melbourne hospital where she was flown by helicopter.<\/p>\n

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Phil Haines, Helen\u2019s husband, shared the first public statements on his wife\u2019s condition on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

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He said that Helen\u2019s left leg was amputated on Monday and her right leg was amputated on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe good news in all this is that Helen is alive and she\u2019s stable. That is the most important thing for our family,\u201d Phil told reporters in Melbourne.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are grateful and thankful that at this stage, both her heart and her mind are in good shape,\u201d he said, adding that their 40th wedding anniversary will be in November.<\/p>\n

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\u201cHelen\u2019s 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,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said eyewitnesses had reported that the suspect first passed Haines in his vehicle on Monday as she stood by the trunk of her parked car.<\/p>\n

The car then turned and came back before the man allegedly drove into the politician, the prime minster said.<\/p>\n

Witnesses say the driver rammed his victim, pinning her against her own car before reversing and ramming her a second time.<\/p>\n

The man accused of running Helen over made an initial appearance in court on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Brendan Nugent, 43, was charged with<\/a> intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official.<\/p>\n

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During the brief court appearance, Nugent\u2019s lawyer Chirag Patel told Magistrate Allison Vaughan that his client was suffering from potential mental health issues but had never been diagnosed with any mental health problem, The Associated Press reports.<\/p>\n

Patel said Nugent suffered from a neurological condition, idiopathic transverse myelitis, and a concussion. The lawyer did not explain how Nugent had been concussed.<\/p>\n

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