Australia’s parliament resumed work on Monday amid heightened security measures and paid tribute to MP Helen Haines, who was seriously injured in an alleged act of political violence last week.
The Capitol tightened security measures during its first meeting since Oct. 19, when authorities said a driver twice rammed an SUV into Haines outside her constituents’ office.
She had both legs amputated on Monday and remains in a serious but stable condition in a Melbourne hospital.
A 43-year-old man has been charged with offenses including causing grievous harm with intent. Police have not revealed a motive.
Australian Prime Minister pays tribute to Haines
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was the first of several lawmakers to pay tribute to Haines, a respected independent. He moved a motion expressing the council’s hope for her recovery and its support for her family. Her husband Phil Haines watched from the public gallery of Parliament.
“While the investigation continues, we must not rush to conclusions. But we also cannot be dismissive of the real growth of anger that is distorting and corroding our public discourse,” Albanese told parliament.
Albanese added: “Thanks to the anonymity and speed provided by social media, we are seeing an increase in anger and aggression, not only in the political sphere but also against workers in hospitality, retail, schools and hospitals, as well as police, paramedics and other officials.”
Albanese described “the normalization of the language of discontent and violence.”
“We must not confuse the robustness of Australian democracy with a rising tide of anger,” Albanese said.
Police link threats against MPs to language used between political opponents
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Chris Barrett told the ABC on Sunday that threats against lawmakers were evenly distributed among male and female politicians. But threats against women are more “personal.”
Barrett said there is a “direct correlation” between the language political opponents use with each other and the threats and abuse directed at lawmakers by the public.
Critics of Australian politics often complain that lawmakers sometimes attack each other with language that would not be tolerated in any other workplace in the country.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor told parliament he disagreed with those who believed there was a “casual link between heated parliamentary debates and political violence”.
“We must not allow a heated parliamentary debate to turn violent,” Taylor said.
Lawmakers advise colleagues to make civility pledge
Speaker Milton Dick noted that some lawmakers recommended that colleagues sign a so-called Civility Pledge in response to the alleged attack on Haines.
“This is a personal decision and I encourage all members (of Parliament) to continue to have these discussions to decide their own best response,” Dick told parliament.
Two months ago, Haines became the first Australian lawmaker to make such a pledge, championed by the Compassion in Australian Politics think tank established last year. About a half-dozen federal and state lawmakers have since pledged to sign.
Independent MP Kate Chaney said she intended to follow Haynes’s example in making such a pledge.
“I think the fact that Helen was the only federal MP to sign this agreement is really symbolic,” Chaney told ABC.
“It’s a very simple thing. It just says, ‘In my political life, I pledge to act with honesty, respect and compassion.’ To me, it’s a simple yet profound way to honor Helen’s contribution to Congress,” Chaney added.
Jonathan Granger, the think tank’s director, said Haynes contacted his organization in August to sign the pledge, after a media release of the civility pledge didn’t attract much attention. The Pledge is a concept adopted by Political Compassion UK.
Granger said more Australian lawmakers had contacted the group and pledged than could be added to the group’s website. Given the spotlight on Monday’s parliament, the group hopes there will be more.
“It’s so sad that it happened like this… what happened to Helen Haynes was just a tragedy,” Granger said.