Monday, 26 October 2026

House of Representatives

Mr Tim Wilson MP:

Like so many of the other members here, I want to pay respects and tribute to the incredible work of Helen Haines, the member for Indi. We're all currently trying to make sense of what is no doubt a senseless attack. Most of us have watched the video footage and are struggling with seeing the vicious act of violence that has been perpetrated. In her first speech, she said:

… life is short, family is everything and there is honour in … service …

Every day Helen came into this chamber—and she will no doubt do so soon again, and we look forward to that day—she has consistently demonstrated that through her act of service. In these moments, we all say nice things, but the test of somebody's character is not what we say in these moments. It's what we said before this moment. We can all say with honest reflection that no-one I have ever heard in this parliament has ever said anything negative about the member for Indi. In fact, in my engagement with her, they've always been warm, they've been generous, and they've been focused on how she gets the best outcome for her community, but I would argue often it is about how she gets the best out of all of us.

So we are all trying to make sense of this situation and this moment, and we're all trying to make sense of the broader context of violence—that one woman can die at the hands of a violent partner every 11 days in Australia, or, of course, the violent home entries that many Australians experience. It takes us to a reflection of who we are as a people and, of course, the state of our society. But it does also offer glimmers of hope. We saw that after the tragedy of Bondi. We saw it with the action of Ricky Jefferies, the salon owner just near her electorate office, who ran to her aid. We all go through the healing and difficult times of these moments and look for hope, but it's also a time that we need moral leadership. It also highlights the challenge of what happens when moral leadership is sometimes absent.

All Australians have looked for moral leadership at different times in our nation's history. Indigenous Australians looked at it the time after their social solidarity was put on the ballot. All Australians looked for moral leadership, particularly Jewish Australians, after 7 October and the Bondi terrorist attacks. All Australians have looked to moral leadership at this critical time, particularly the people of Indi, because what they saw in their local member was moral leadership in her own respective way, not just in this parliament but within her community. But it does highlight what happens when that moral leadership is absent, because it eats into the equity of our nation. That's why we look forward to her returning to this parliament and that seat over there not being vacant as it currently is. We look forward to her returning and bringing her vivacious energy to this parliament to inform and to guide us.

I particularly want to thank her husband, Phil, who has been a rock-solid bed of support, no doubt, to Helen but also to the whole of the community at this critical time, particularly the Indi community. I also want to pay tribute to his incredible remarks to the nation to give us a reflection on her current health status and to Her Excellency the Governor-General, who I think has done an exceptional job in this very difficult time, where people have questioned the very foundations of our democracy and the safety of our liberal democracy. I want to congratulate both of them. Particularly to Phil and to Helen's family: this has been no doubt one of the most challenging times in your lives, and you've steered it with dignity and with grace. For that, we of course honour and acknowledge you. Of course, to Helen: we cannot wait for the day that the Speaker calls you up to be able to contribute back in this place. To the community of Indi as well—federal members of parliament often reflect on the trauma that communities endure when there are horrific events that sometimes occur. Federal members of parliament often look at the people they represent and have to channel their concern, their issue, their anger and of course their command for justice. It's very rare that it's reciprocated in kind. I know that many people in the community of Indi right now will be feeling mixed emotions between anger and the need for a sense of justice but also, of course, hope and love for their local representative. For that, I want to honour the people of Indi too—for their incredible endurance through this difficult time in support of their much-beloved local federal MP.