Anthony Albanese’s office circulated a briefing document to journalists that questioned Helen Haines’ integrity without offering evidence, after the independent MP criticised a $6 million government grant awarded to the Prime Minister’s local golf club.
The document was sent to select members of the parliamentary press gallery about a month before Haines was seriously injured in an alleged attack outside her Wangaratta office on Monday afternoon.
Haines was airlifted to Melbourne’s The Alfred hospital, where she remains in critical condition. Police allege Brendan Nugent, 43, struck the MP with his Toyota LandCruiser, reversed, then drove into her again.
Following the incident, Albanese urged politicians and commentators to lower the political temperature, praised Haines’ integrity and cautioned against unfounded attacks on public figures’ motives.
“I do always agree that her motives are good,” the Prime Minister told the ABC’s 7.30 program on Monday night.
Yet only weeks earlier, Albanese’s office had distributed a document carrying the name of the Prime Minister’s deputy director of communications—raising questions about the government’s own approach to political debate.
Obtained by the Daily Mail, the document sought to cast doubt on Haines by listing funding requests she had made for her electorate and asking whether she had personal links to potential recipients of federal funding.
Among the questions raised were whether Haines had accepted undeclared wine or food from local businesses, held commercial interests, received political donations or maintained personal relationships with businesses that could benefit from government tourism funding.
Independent MP Helen Haines criticised pork-barrelling in federal politics after the Albanese government awarded Marrickville Golf Club a $6 million grant.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Helen Haines’ integrity on Monday night, despite his office circulating a document questioning her conduct only weeks earlier.
The briefing contained no evidence of misconduct. Instead, it suggested lines of inquiry for journalists after Haines had become increasingly vocal about government pork-barrelling and called for greater transparency.
It focused on Haines’ advocacy for projects in her northern Victorian electorate of Indi. One question asked whether she had ever visited the Benalla Art Gallery, for which she had sought $8 million to support a redevelopment.
“Given she has pushed for funding for this project, has the Member for Indi ever visited, been a member of, donated to, or have any personal or professional connection with any of the employees or Board of Benalla Art Gallery?” the document stated.
In relation to a proposed local recreation-centre upgrade, it asked whether Haines had played or trained with sporting clubs, attended matches or accepted jerseys and equipment. It also pointed to ski-lift passes she and her spouse received from Mount Buller before she sought funding for infrastructure at the resort.
The document offered no proof of undisclosed wrongdoing. When shown the material at the time, Haines told the Daily Mail she had not seen it before, adding: “They are pretty desperate.”
She said her annual budget submissions were public documents supporting projects proposed by councils, regional development officials and community groups. “I’m proud of it,” she said.
Haines also distinguished between advocating for funding and controlling how it is distributed—a power held by the Albanese government. She said she could not “fix a grant program” to guarantee support for projects, which was why she pursued specialist competitive funding schemes, including those supporting regional hospitals.
During his ABC interview on Monday night, Albanese repeatedly spoke favourably about Haines’ character.
Extracts from the document circulated to members of the federal parliamentary press gallery raised questions about Haines’ interests but provided no answers.
The Prime Minister is pictured with his dog Toto at Marrickville Golf Club during another dog’s birthday celebration.
KEEP READING: Australian MP Helen Haines’ Poignant Message Hours Before Attack
‘There’s a reason why Helen Haines is so loved and admired, because she’s someone of integrity,’ he said.
Asked what she meant to him, he again answered: ‘Integrity.’
He described her as passionate about her community and said she was always worth listening to, even when they disagreed.
The Microsoft Word document smearing Haines records ‘Lloyd, Joshua’ as both its creator and last editor. Joshua Lloyd is Albanese’s deputy director of communications.
Its company field lists the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and its creation date is September 10, the day after the Haines statement quoted in the document.
Metadata records the information stored in a file’s properties, but does not conclusively establish who wrote or authorised its contents, and the Daily Mail does not suggest otherwise. Such details can carry over from templates or be changed.
Under an all-capital heading, the document noted Haines had requested more than $1.8billion for projects across two budget submissions.
It placed those requests alongside her September 9 criticism that Australians were increasingly fed up with a ‘self-serving political establishment’ and that pork barrelling undermined trust in democracy.
The document questioned the projects’ value for money and the due diligence behind their selection before raising questions about her personal connections.
On Monday night, Albanese said political differences should be debated respectfully.
‘They shouldn’t be the subject of personal rancour and the calling into people’s motivation where it’s not appropriate to do so.’
He also criticised the ‘contest for clicks’ and called for more nuance and less shouting.
His government has previously faced questions about its own rhetoric.
At Queensland’s Labor conference on August 30, Albanese described hard-right populists’ politics as ‘dangerous, divisive, and downright dishonest’, before specifically attacking One Nation.
When Pauline Hanson subsequently said his remarks had left her feeling unsafe, Attorney-General Michelle Rowland suggested she examine whether her own party, ideology and behaviour were encouraging the danger.
Rowland also condemned threats across politics and explicitly rejected wishing Hanson physical harm.
Albanese said on Monday that the motivation for the incident involving Haines remained unknown and should not be prejudged. Her welfare was his immediate priority.
‘She’s just a thoroughly decent, respectful human being who is a delight to work with and her presence in the Parliament adds to it.’
The Prime Minister’s office has been contacted for comment.