The man accused of deliberately driving into Australian MP Helen Haines, leaving her fighting for her life, has been identified as a radical anti-Israel climate campaigner.
Brendan Nugent, 43, was arrested after Ms Haines, a centrist independent, was struck by a car outside her parliamentary office in Victoria on Monday afternoon. She suffered severe injuries to her lower body and lost one of her legs.
The politician remained in a critical condition on Tuesday as surgeons worked to save her other leg.
Social media accounts linked to the suspect have since indicated that Nugent was an anti-Israel activist and radical environmentalist.
Recent posts referenced the conflict in Gaza, while earlier entries focused on environmental issues, including logging. Nugent also described himself as a “plant person”.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Ms Haines underwent emergency surgery in Melbourne overnight following the horrific collision but remained in a critical condition.
Witnesses said a white Toyota Land Cruiser passed Ms Haines as she collected items from the boot of her car before making a U-turn and striking her twice.
A barber watching from a neighbouring shop rushed to help and brought the driver to the ground while Ms Haines was reportedly still trapped beneath the vehicle.
Helen Haines, a centrist independent, was struck by a car outside her MP office in Victoria on Monday afternoon
Brendan Nugent, pictured, is accused of running Ms Haines over and has been identified as a radical anti-Israel climate campaigner
Eyewitnesses said a white Toyota Land Cruiser passed Ms Haines as she collected items from her car before making a U-turn and striking the politician twice
The driver of a white 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series Troop Carrier has been arrested in connection with the crash
Ricky Jefferies, a father of three, made a citizen’s arrest while waiting for police to arrive several minutes later. When the driver’s pockets were searched, a pocketknife was reportedly found, which Mr Jefferies kicked away from the suspect.
Nugent remains in police custody after spending the night in a cell. He is due to undergo a mental health assessment before detectives formally interview him on Tuesday.
Speaking at an event in Melbourne, Mr Albanese said: “All of our thoughts are with Helen Haines today, with her family, her team, her many, many friends and indeed her community as well.”
“It’s a reminder that at the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character.”
Mr Albanese said he had spoken to Mr Jefferies, praising the barber for running towards danger “not knowing what the consequences could potentially be for him”.
Counter-terrorism authorities are also expected to continue investigating the incident.
Australian authorities confirmed that the suspect was known to police but had not recently been on the radar of law enforcement agencies.
Nugent had allegedly interacted with Ms Haines on X several times, most recently six years ago. In one post, he appeared to commend the MP for her position on climate change.
The MP, who was elected in 2019, has previously called for strong action on climate change, including a target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
She has also urged Australia to impose sanctions on Israel and put greater pressure on the Netanyahu government to end the conflict, while calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and urgent humanitarian aid.
A photo of the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser uploaded in 2018 to an X account under Nugent’s name has the same number plate as the vehicle allegedly used in Monday’s incident.
An account attributed to Brendan Nugent has repeatedly interacted with Ms Haines in the past
A man wore a ‘this is not us’ shirt following the attack on the MP
Another shared a note at the door of the politicians office – along with a bunch of flowers
Police have separately confirmed that there was no record of the vehicle which allegedly struck Ms Haines as being stolen.
The account had previously posted about Israel’s war in Gaza and about a ‘satanic child sexual abuse material network’ just days ago.
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Replying to Penny Wong on X after she shared a statement from Albanese, the account called the two politicians a ‘couple of US lap dogs’.
‘Couple of US lap dogs. Maybe if you had warned Israel about its attacks the world wouldn’t be where it is right now,’ the account wrote.
In 2024, the account responded to then-UK PM Keir Starmer calling for a ceasefire: ‘The only reason Israel bombs innocent people in Rafah is because people like you give them the diplomatic cover and military assistance to do it.’
Police have said it is too soon to have ascertained Nugent’s political leanings, or any potential motivation for the alleged attack.
‘The focus of the investigation will be to determine, why and how this occurred and whether it was an intentional or deliberate act,’ Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason said.
But, according to sources, Nugent has a history of activism in the area and then strayed into ‘darker’ things.
Shocked locals and schoolchildren have begun laying flowers and handwritten notes outside the politician’s office.
Home Affairs Minister Tony Bourke said ‘no one would have thought’ Ms Haines would be among the MPs most at risk of a violent attack.
Hours before the alleged attack, Ms Haines had been taking part in an event at a local school where she was presenting the Australian flag.
‘Our national flags are powerful symbols of who we are as Australians – our history, our values and the country we’re proud to call home,’ the MP wrote in her most recent post.
‘I hope these flags inspire pride in our country and conversations about what it means to be Australian.’
Ms Haines is widely known in Canberra and nationally as a strong voice for integrity and honesty in politics after playing a key role in establishing the National Anti-Corruption Commission.
The MP is also a passionate advocate for healthcare and regional Australia, having worked beforehand in the industry as a midwife and researcher.
The ‘Good Samaritan’ who came to Ms Haines’s ‘defence’ told reporters on Tuesday morning that he did not see himself as a hero and ‘was just a person who had an opportunity to intervene in a safe-ish sort of way’.
‘I didn’t realise the seriousness of the situation initially and once it became relevant, I just did what I could and what others were already trying to do,’ Mr Jefferies said.
‘I basically asked him to jump out of the car and got him out of the car. I had him sit on the ground and police got there within minutes,’ he added.
An emotional Mr Albanese earlier told ABC: ‘This wasn’t an accident. There was a deliberate act, it would appear.’
The incident is believed to be isolated and the public have been reassured that they face no further threat.
‘[Ms Haines is] greatly admired right across the political spectrum. She’s someone who’s characterised by her kindness, her diligence, her intelligence, someone who is so proud of representing that beautiful part of Victoria,’ Mr Albanese told a local broadcaster on Tuesday morning.
‘And this is a tragic situation, and our thoughts are with her this morning and today, and we hope for a full recovery.’
Mr Albanese added that he wasn’t aware of any threats made toward Ms Haines in the lead up to the incident.
However, the PM said despite ‘this dark and terrible time’ there was an ‘element of light’ through the courageous actions of ‘Good Samaritan’ Mr Jeffries.
‘That person is a hero today,’ he said.
‘And I just think that he deserves enormous praise and thanks for his intervention, which could have prevented even further infliction of damage, which was aimed at Helen,’ the PM added.
Australian opposition leader Angus Taylor said it was a ‘shocking day for the nation’ and that he was personally praying for Ms Haines.
He said: ‘No one should be targeted in this way. Australians will be angry and appalled by the attack on Helen outside her electorate office in Wangaratta.
‘Our nation cannot become a place where violent attacks are normalised. I’ve spoken with the prime minister, and we are united in our view that political violence must never be accepted as part of public life.’
