‘Like a stone in our hearts’: PM leads Helen Haines tributes as parliament pauses to praise ‘fighter’

Anthony Albanese has led tributes to Helen Haines a week after the Indi MP was allegedly the target of an attack outside her electorate office, praising the independent as “a fighter” with a deep love of her community.

Federal parliament paused on Monday for speeches about Haines, her husband, Phil, and her staff as she remained in a serious but stable condition in Melbourne’s Alfred hospital.

Haines has lost both of her legs as a result of the alleged ramming attack, for which a 43-year-old man has been charged. The motivation for the incident is unknown and continues to be investigated.

The prime minister told parliament that the shock from the alleged attack was “like a stone in our hearts”.

The episode has created debate about the safety of MPs and the state of the political environment.

But the opposition leader, Angus Taylor, and the One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce have rejected calls for a change in parliamentary practice to cool Australia’s political debate.

“In the past week, it has been suggested by some there is a causal connection between robust parliamentary debate and political violence,” Taylor said. “I disagree with this view.

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“The Westminster system is about settling differences through robust and rigorous debate, not violence.

“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 said violence was 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 called for all extremism to be rejected. He said judges should “come down harder” on people found guilty of intimidation or violence.

“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.

“Is it any wonder that some feel deep animosity towards our democracy, our institutions, and our nation?”

Joyce told News24 his thoughts and prayers remained with Haines and her family, calling the alleged attack “so unAustralian”.

“Unfortunately what we’re seeing in Australia and around the world is a change in dynamics,” Joyce said. “I think parliament has got its part to play but I don’t think its going to be a solution to the problem.

“The issues, such as the Palestinian march across the [Sydney Harbour] Bridge, the vindictive, arsenic type of rhetoric that we see in the public realm, these are all part of it.

“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 the “very real rise in anger that distorts and corrodes our public discourse”.

“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.”

MPs are being encouraged to sign on to a civility pledge this week, promising to act with honesty, respect, and compassion.

The speaker, Milton Dick, told parliament all MPs were thinking of Haines and praying for her recovery.

“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.’”

The crossbencher Zali Steggall said Haines wanted politics that chose “kindness over hate”.

“It’s time to defuse the tension and consider how our words are being received by others in the community beyond this place.”