Australian Lawmaker Helen Haines Critical After Being Hit By Car PM anthony albanese says Not An Accident– www.ndtv.com

Australian independent lawmaker Helen Haines was deliberately struck by a car and suffered “critical injuries” on Monday in what Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described as an attack.

Haines was hurt outside her office in Wangaratta, just over 200 kilometres (124 miles) northwest of Melbourne, police said.

The 65-year-old “suffered what has been described as critical injuries”, Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason said, without identifying the victim in line with police custom in Australia.

The 43-year-old male driver was detained by civilians, Mason said, and then arrested by police, who found a knife in his car.

“This wasn’t an accident. There was a deliberate act,” Albanese told national broadcaster ABC.

He also told journalists: “All of our thoughts are with Helen, her family, her friends, her team, and her community at this extremely difficult time. We are praying for her full recovery.”