00:00Tonight I want to update Australians on a serious incident that has occurred in Victoria.
00:07This afternoon Helen Haynes, the member for Indyke, was attacked outside her electorate office in Wangaratta.
00:14All of our thoughts are with Helen, her family, her friends, her team and her community at this extremely difficult
00:23time.
00:25We are praying for her full recovery.
00:28I want to thank the first responders for their extraordinary work.
00:33There is a major police investigation underway and I can confirm that a suspect is in custody.
00:41The Australian Federal Police, Victorian Police and Asia are working together on this.
00:47The joint counter-terrorism team has been activated but the motive is not known.
00:53I have spoken with Victorian Premier Ben Carroll and have been briefed by AFP Commissioner Christy Barrett.
01:01It is too early in this investigation for me to provide you with details of what the motivation is behind
01:09this attack.
01:10My thoughts are also with those there who were there in Wangaratta today and Helen's community more broadly.
01:19Helen Haynes is incredibly hard-working, she is fiercely intelligent but most importantly she is just a thoroughly decent human
01:29being.
01:30Full of integrity and respected right across the Parliament and from everyone who comes into contact with her.
01:39She is a well-loved member of her community and this will come as an incredible shock to that community.
01:50Our thoughts remain with Helen Haynes at this very difficult time.
01:56Minister Burke will make some short comments and then we'll take just a couple of questions.
02:04Thank you Prime Minister, as the Prime Minister said we're still very early in the investigation but importantly someone is
02:10in custody and acknowledges the family statements acknowledged, the bystanders, the health workers and the police.
02:20Last year, or the year before last, we had 951 reports of harassing and threatening behaviour against various high office
02:29holders.
02:30In the more recent financial year that 951 has gone to 1,067.
02:36At this moment in time, while it's still so early in the investigation, our thoughts are all with Helen and
02:42her family and her community and her friends.
02:45As the Prime Minister said, Helen is respected, admired and loved.
