Independent offers emotional tribute to Helen Haines

Speaking through tears, one of Haines’ crossbench colleagues, Zali Steggall, has said she has been going around in circles in attempts to express all she wants to say.

She tells the parliament:

We are all struggling to process the shock and grief at what has happened.

Steggall regales the chamber with stories of the first time they met in-person in 2019 and their parliamentary friendship.

There have been plenty of tough times in the last seven years, from the Black Summer bushfires to COVID. But through it all, you’ve been there to support and guide the community of Indi, myself, and many others in this Parliament

Helen, I’ve had so many chats with you sitting in this chamber. You’re the matriarch of the crossbench, always a voice for respectful political debate.

We have heard your words loud and clear: kindness over hate. It’s time to diffuse the tension and consider how our words are being received by others in the community beyond this place. Helen and Phil, we have an opportunity before us to move forward with hope and kindness. We have a responsibility to bring Australia together.

Taylor urges government to call out ‘all extremism’ and celebrate Australia

Angus Taylor has urged government to call out and confront “actual sources of intolerance, of intimidation, of political violence in our country”.

He tells parliament:

The government has been absolutely right to call out far-right extremism. But all extremism must be called out. Every source must be named, must be targeted, and must be fought, especially through our additional funding for intelligence and law enforcement.

Taylor has urged judges to come down harder on those guilty of acts of intimidation or violence.

He also calls on Australians to celebrate their country:

Too many Australians have been taught to feel guilty and shame about our country and about our history. Is it any wonder that some feel deep animosity towards our democracy, our institutions, and our nation? Is it any wonder that we see war memorials graffitied and statues defaced?

Taylor disagrees with link between parliamentary debate and violence

Taylor has called on politicians to reflect on Australia’s democracy.

In the past week, it has been suggested by some there is a causal connection between robust parliamentary debate and political violence. I disagree with this view.

The Westminster system is about settling differences through robust and rigorous debate, not violence… Importantly, we debate with adversarial vigour, but we never allow that vigorous parliamentary debate to spill over into violence. People who resort to intimidation and violence cross a line that must never be crossed.

The choice to use violence is a rejection of robust debate, a refusal to accommodate difference and disagreement. The antidote to violence isn’t to compromise our system of robust debate, but to cherish, champion, and strengthen that system.

Alleged attack on Haines ‘unfathomable’, Angus Taylor says

‘Helen Haines is a fighter’: PM

The prime minister says he has regularly spoken with Haines, especially on the issue of rural and regional health:

She always engages, always looks you in the eye, and never lets up.

And she always works on the principle that disagreement only truly functions when it doesn’t depart from respect and humanity.

Right now, the member for Indi is on the hardest road of all. As we pray for her, we console ourselves with this one solid truth, as Phil, who I’ve spoken to daily, keeps reminding me every day, Helen Haines is a fighter. As Phil returns to Helen and their family, may he take with him our love, and the love of the nation.

Australian democracy cannot be conflated with ‘rising tide of rage’, PM says

The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says Australia must not rush to conclusions but also cannot shrug off the “very real rise in anger that distorts and corrodes our public discourse”.

He told the parliament:

Enabled by the anonymity and speed afforded by social media, we are seeing rage and aggression increasing, not just in politics, but towards workers in hospitality and retail, in schools and in hospitals, towards police, paramedics, and other officials, we are seeing a normalisation of the language of grievance and violence.

We must not conflate the robustness of Australian democracy with this rising tide of rage, we’ve always had disagreement in Australia. It’s part of our story. Ours is an unbroken democracy, and our continuous system of government shines as a beacon to the world. But we cannot allow disagreement to become a full stop. We keep talking.

Anthony Albanese spoke with Helen Haines’ husband, Phil Haines, on Monday morning.

Phil spoke lovingly of Helen’s superpowers as empathy, kindness, and compassion. He spoke of hope and change, and the need for a gentler, more cohesive path. I want Phil to know that we are with him and Helen, and with their children and their grandchildren, and will remain with them.

Albanese pays tribute to Helen Haines in parliament

Federal Labor flags concern as state support plunges

Confidence in Victoria’s Labor government is plunging weeks out from an election, as federal minister Mark Butler expresses concern about the state party’s uphill battle.

The health minister conceded on Monday that the 28 November Victorian election would be “a tough one” for Labor, as fresh opinion polls show a 10% negative swing compared with support on election night in 2022.

He told ABC News Breakfast:

After 12 years and some of very difficult years for Victoria, particularly through COVID, it’s no surprise that this is going to be an uphill battle for [Victorian premier] Ben Carroll and the Labor team

Primary support for Labor has slumped four points to 24% since Carroll ascended as premier in July, according to the latest Newspoll conducted in October and published by The Australian on Monday.

Labor’s dive in the polls solidifies opposition leader Jess Wilson’s box seat position to become the next premier, with primary support for the coalition surging to 33%.

That represented a lift of 2%, while One Nation’s vote edged one point to 20%.

Labor’s two-party preferred vote has plunged 10% since the 2022 election, according to the Newspoll, placing the Coalition ahead 55–45.

– Australian Associated Press

MPs to place orange cockatoo sign on Haines’ seat in parliament

Sarah Basford Canales