‘What would Helen do’: politicians warn against tightened security and ‘letting bad people win’ after alleged attack

As politicians reel after the alleged attack on Indi MP, Helen Haines, some say tightened security should not form part of the response Helen Haines loses leg as surgeons fight to save the other Get our new political email , free app or daily news podcast 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 Indi MP Helen Haines was struck twice by a car outside her office, losing her leg in what’s believed to likely be 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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