Australian parliament to honour wounded MP Helen Haines as Hanson defends One Nation cartoons

Australia's federal parliament in Canberra begins a sitting week on Monday in a sombre mood, with MPs set to pay tribute to independent MP Helen Haines, who was struck by a four-wheel drive on 19 October in the main street of Wangaratta, a town in the state of Victoria. The incident is alleged to have been a deliberate attack. Haines has had both her legs amputated and remains in hospital a week later.

Prime minister Anthony Albanese will give a speech about the alleged assault and its impact, and invite colleagues to do likewise. Fellow independent Monique Ryan called Haines the parliament's "most gentle, principled and kind" member and said her absence would be deeply felt. Haines' family set up a fundraiser for the charity Save the Children in lieu of flowers; by Sunday afternoon it had passed $1.2m.

Civility pledge

Speaker Milton Dick will call for civility in parliament today, and some politicians are expected to sign a "civility pledge". Haines was the first federal MP to sign it, before the attack. Independent MP Kate Chaney said she would add her name, noting that the pledge commits signatories to act with honesty, respect and compassion. Health minister Mark Butler said the number and nature of threats against MPs, their families and staff had changed dramatically over his almost 20 years in parliament.

Row over cartoons

Pauline Hanson, leader of the right-wing One Nation party, said the party's animated series Please Explain "will not be going anywhere" and had nothing to do with the attack on Haines. The series has drawn criticism after videos from 2023 and 2024 were recirculated, showing politicians being run over by vehicles, including independent senator Lidia Thorpe and former Victorian premier Daniel Andrews. Shadow minister Ted O'Brien called the cartoons "not timely".

Liberal MP Dan Tehan separately raised concern about anonymous online accounts and their effect on political discourse.