Despite the horrific injuries sustained by the Indi MP, public figures say they must not hide themselves away from voters behind guards
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Crossbench MPs have a saying among themselves: “What would Helen do?” It’s a phrase they have worn on T-shirts and shared online – and it’s a question they asked each other and key government figures on Tuesday, a day after the Indi MP, Helen Haines, was struck twice by a car outside her office, losing her leg in an allegedly targeted attack.
But even as a reckoning brews about balancing the accessibility of politicians with safety in public life – and whether increasing threats to government officials will discourage people from seeking office – distraught and angry MPs say they don’t want greater security or guards that distance them from their constituents.
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