Grace Tame has criticised what she called Australia’s habit of turning traumatic events into vehicles for “propaganda and conspiracy” following the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines.
Haines, 65, was allegedly struck several times deliberately by a Toyota LandCruiser outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, north-east Victoria, on Monday afternoon.
The MP has lost both legs in the incident and remains in a critical but stable condition.
Politicians at both federal and state level, including One Nation leader Pauline Hanson and Victorian Animal Justice MP Georgie Purcell, have since spoken publicly about threats directed at elected representatives.
On Wednesday, however, Tame, 31, turned her attention to the public reaction, accusing commentators of exploiting the alleged attack to promote their own political objectives.
“A woman, Helen Haines, has lost her leg because a man allegedly rammed her with his car. Twice,” Tame wrote in a social media post, published before Haines’ husband confirmed that the MP’s second leg had also been amputated.
“Australia, you’ve done it again. You’ve seized an individual’s traumatic experience as an opportunity to further your political agendas.”
“That should give us all pause, and turn our hearts to her. She is a human, not a vessel for propaganda and conspiracy. She is a public official, not public property.”
Grace Tame (pictured) said the reaction to the alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines was “as disturbing as the violence”
The 65-year-old MP was allegedly struck several times by a Toyota LandCruiser outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, north-east Victoria, on Monday afternoon
Haines (pictured) has lost both legs following the alleged attack
Tame urged Australians to respond to victims with compassion instead of immediately turning traumatic incidents into ideological battles.
“It is possible to extend sympathy without centring oneself or one’s personal beliefs,” she said.
“It is possible to demand accountability and justice without indulging rumours.”
The former Australian of the Year also condemned what she described as an increasing tendency among commentators and media figures to interpret major events primarily through politics.
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“Such is the narcissistic distortion of our social conscience that commentators and journalists simply cannot seem to resist projecting their own ideological bias onto absolutely everything and everyone,” she wrote.
“If we are living in waiting for crises to weaponise, or worse monetise, we aren’t incentivised to prevent them. We are feeding off and into them.”
“This is as disturbing as the violence itself.”
Tame’s remarks come amid a wider national discussion about the safety of politicians and the growing abuse faced by public figures.
Victorian MP Georgie Purcell (pictured) said she had received “thousands” of death threats
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson also revealed she had recently been provided with increased protection due to threats
Georgie Purcell, who knows Haines personally, said the alleged attack on the Indi MP highlighted the risks faced by elected representatives, particularly women.
‘One comment on my post about Helen said they wished it had happened to me,’ she told AAP on Tuesday.
The Victorian Animal Justice MP argued security arrangements for politicians should be reviewed before Victorians head to the polls in next month’s state election.
She added that Haines had previously sent her a handwritten card before the birth of her daughter, describing the 65-year-old as a caring and widely respected figure.
Pauline Hanson also revealed she had recently been provided with increased protection due to threats while speaking to News24 earlier this week.
‘I’ve only just recently had more full-time protection because of the threats that have come in,’ Hanson said.
The One Nation leader said she has spent much of her political career travelling Australia without extensive protection but had noticed a significant escalation in threats.
‘I had it in 97-98 for 18 months, 24/7, because of the threats against me because I dared question the establishment,’ Hanson said.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday revealed the number of people before the courts due to threats against him was in the ‘double digits’.