ANDREW GREENE: Haines attack prompts reflection in Parliament as political hostility leads to calls for change

Through many tears, heartfelt speeches and genuine expressions of love and sorrow, the best of Federal Parliament was on display on Monday, as politicians spoke thoughtfully about Helen Haines, a week on from the devastating attack against her.

Countless times Australia’s home of democracy has witnessed emotional contributions from elected representatives, particularly after national tragedies, but this occasion seemed different as MPs reflected on their own behaviour and the growing dangers of their jobs.

With the Member for Indi still recovering in hospital after having her legs amputated, many suggested Australia needed to pause and think about how politics and debate could be done better.

Opening the day dedicated to parliamentary tributes, the Prime Minister declared: “the shock from what happened last Monday is like a stone in our hearts”.

“We look across to the member for Indi’s place, and despite ourselves, half expect to see a face, like a trick that the heart plays on the mind, if only to grant us a moment’s respite from the truth,” Anthony Albanese said.

“Right now, our friend and colleague is in hospital, grievously injured. The shape of her life and her family’s lives changed for ever”.

In her absence, Dr Haines’ seat was filled with an orange cockatoo sign as many other MPs wore Baby’s Breath flowers on their lapels and her campaign colour of orange.

The PM’s tribute was followed by Angus Taylor who also delivered a heartfelt speech, telling Parliament: “while last Monday’s horrendous attack was a national tragedy, it is first and foremost a family’s tragedy”.

The Opposition leader’s contribution however raised some eyebrows as he proceeded to also take a not-so-subtle swipe at prominent figures such as Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett for their responses to last week’s attack.

“In the past week, it’s been suggested by some that there is a causal connection between robust parliamentary debate and political violence. I disagree with this view,” Taylor told the House.

“Too many Australians have been taught to feel guilty and shame about our history and our country.”

“Is it any wonder that some people feel deep animosity towards our democracy, our institutions, and our nation?

“Is it any wonder that we see war memorials graffitied and statues defaced,” he pondered.

Taylor’s one-time Liberal leadership rival and former SAS soldier Andrew Hastie, then delivered one of the more notable tributes to the Member for Indi, as he urged all MPs to leave the “nasty personal politics of MAGA” in the United States.

“It’s a time for us to pause and ask: How can we do better? For me? How can I do better? I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve overreached in my language during my 11 years in this house, and we’ve all erred in this way at some time”.

The Member for Canning said there could be no place for the “targeted destruction of character” or the “relentless demonisation of personality”.

“It only takes one person with a twisted mind or a perverted sense of reality to strike out, to weaponise a car, a kitchen knife or a firearm, and to feel justified in doing so,” Hastie warned.

“What we say here or online shapes the political culture. We can all do better and we should strive to do better. So let’s play the ball, not the person, and leave the nasty personal politics of MAGA in the United States.”

During Question Time, the risk of violence against females in public life was raised, prompting Labor’s Tanya Plibersek to declare that women in politics “can’t vacate the field to the people who would stop us”.

“I think if we miss this opportunity to take this time as a turning point for our country, we will have missed a really important opportunity,” the Social Services Minister said in response to a question from crossbench MP Nicolette Boele.

Before Parliament opened, Pauline Hanson appeared on morning radio, refusing to apologise for a past cartoon depicting independent Senator Lidia Thorpe being run over by a bus.

Although she and colleague Barnaby Joyce have previously apologised for other animations released by the party, the One Nation leader stood by the 2023 “Please Explain” episode that mocked Senator Thorpe.

“Look, this woman’s on the floor of parliament … You should see the hatred coming out of her mouth,” Senator Hanson told Radio 2GB.

“So don’t tell me about my cartoons because they’re satirical … and besides, that last episode happened years ago in the cartoon,” she said, referring to cartoon, titled “Under the Bus”.

It was a timely reminder that freedom of political expression and the need to act responsibly in public life is a fraught balancing act, and one which all politicians are now navigating with a new sense of urgency.