: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joins me now in the studio. Prime Minister, welcome.
ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good evening.
FERGUSON: What's the very latest you know about Helen and how she is?
PRIME MINISTER: What we know is that this was a serious incident and her health issues are serious. Our thoughts are very much with her, with her family, her friends, her team and indeed her community. There's a reason why Helen Haines is so loved and admired, because she's someone of integrity. She's someone who treats everyone with respect and she's someone who is a beacon of light for that community there in northern Victoria. She's been medivacced to hospital and is, I'm sure, receiving the best of care. And it's a time to just think of Helen, but also to thank all of the first responders who, once again are showing, in difficult times, the best of the Australian character.
FERGUSON: I just want to ask you about the moment that you heard this had happened. We'll talk in a little while about some of the things you've been saying about political temperature, but just for you, knowing what you do about the threats to politicians, what went through your mind when you heard about this?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, the first I was told was that there'd been a car accident, so I did not think of anything other than an accident. This wasn't an accident, and the suspect is in custody. It then came through the news that this had occurred. I changed my arrangements. I spoke with the AFP Commissioner, Krissy Barrett, who's returning from work overseas. I spoke with the Victorian Premier, Ben Carroll, recently, before this program. I briefed Angus Taylor, the Leader of the Opposition, who has offered his full support. And we just engaged as well, my office and team, with Helen Haines' office. Our thoughts, first and foremost, are just for Helen's welfare and we wish her a speedy recovery from what are serious - a serious impact of this incident.
FERGUSON: Now, I understand that we can't talk about motivation directly, but is it your understanding that she was the target of this attack, specifically as Helen Haines the politician?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, this wasn't an accident. There was a deliberate act, it would appear. We don't know what the motivation is. So, that is the work that's being undertaken by the Victorian Police, together with the Australian Federal Police. But also, ASIO are engaged once we've established a Counter-Terrorism Taskforce. That was established very quickly after this incident, which was in the later hours of this afternoon.
FERGUSON: Were you aware of any previous threats of any kind towards Helen Haines?
PRIME MINISTER: I wasn't personally aware of any threats to her personally. What we do know is that the temperature has increased in recent times, and so now's not a time to speculate on the motivation. Now's the time to address the facts, the facts as we know it. We have told the Australian public because, yes, I do think that that's appropriate. They have a right to know. We'll allow the police investigation to take its course, but we certainly hope for good news about Helen's condition over the next 24 hours.
FERGUSON: We all obviously share that very deeply. You say the Joint Counter-Terrorism Taskforce has been activated. What will they be doing over the next days and hours?
PRIME MINISTER: What they'll be doing is checking on the history of the person who is in custody. They'll be going through their forensic work trying to establish motivation. They'll obviously be as well. Interviews will take place with the person concerned and they'll be looking for a motivation, looking as well as they do, to check if there are any linkages there. They are very professional, they have my complete faith and they'll be undertaking that work.
FERGUSON: Now, you refer to the fact that you have been urging people to lower the temperature in politics. Have you been worried that the temperature that has existed now for some time could lead to a physical attack on a politician?
PRIME MINISTER: I've expressed that concern very publicly and I've expressed that concern to people in the media. The concern, if you look at anyone's social media feeds and look at the comments, people will say things that they would never say face to face. But the temperature has undoubtedly been increased, not just here in Australia, of course. We've seen incidents internationally as well. Our thoughts at this time are, of course, with Helen, though. That is the number one, two and three priority, is hoping for the best news.
FERGUSON: Now, ASIO as well warned in 2024 and 2025 about the increase in politically motivated violence and specifically the potential for attacks on politicians. Has enough been done to protect you and all of your colleagues, both in the Federal Parliament and in State Parliaments, against this rise in anger?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, there's been a considerable increase in resources and that's done on a risk basis. But here in Australia, it is a good thing that politicians are able to go about their community and engage with people. I don't want to see a political system in which you can't have conversations with people at the supermarket, in the street, at street meetings, public forums. That's an important part of our democracy. And someone like Helen Haines, of course, coming from that community, was someone who was out and about. I had the pleasure of spending time with Helen Haines in her local electorate and I know that she's very well regarded across the board. She treats people with respect. She's well regarded in the Parliament as well, right across the political spectrum. And certainly there's no place for political violence in a democracy.
FERGUSON: But is that free-wheeling nature of Australian politics going to change? If this is a politically motivated attack, will the future look different?
PRIME MINISTER: Well, already you are seeing some adjustment in how people are able to get about. There's increased security for parliamentarians and particularly for ministers and people in senior positions. I think that's unfortunate. I think one of the great things about Australia is being able to go to the hill at Henson Park or the event in Wangaratta or Shepparton in Indi, and to be able to just engage with people. And so I don't want to see that change. I do think that we need people in positions, need to join in the call to turn that temperature down. We can have political debate in a respectful way. We can have differences. They should be debated out in a democracy, but they shouldn't be the subject of personal rancour and the calling into people's motivation where it's not appropriate to do so.
FERGUSON: Do you see a connection between what looks to have happened in Victoria and increasing attacks on electoral offices like your own, the defacing of electoral offices, aggravation at electoral offices. Is this all part of the same pattern?
PRIME MINISTER: I think there has been a rise in temperature and there has been too much shouting, not enough discourse, not enough polite conversation and disagreement. And in a democracy, we should be able to have discussion, political debate, put different views, but do it in a way that is respectful.
FERGUSON: Tony Burke, just before in the press conference with you, he looked a little - well, he certainly looked shaken. He referred to the fact that there have been 1,067 actions of threat or harassment against high office holders. Are we looking at a different Australia to the one that you grew up in, as a politician?
PRIME MINISTER: It has changed, and there's no question that social media is a part of that. But so is the contest for clicks, the fact that things need to be reduced down to dramatic, all caps, if you like, rather than any nuance. And one of the things that we need to do as a society is have a debate about that. And to have more nuance and more debate and less shouting would be a good thing.
FERGUSON: Do you and your colleagues talk about this amongst yourselves, the threat that - the risks that you now face in conducting your jobs?
PRIME MINISTER: Yes.
FERGUSON: And what do you say about it?
PRIME MINISTER: Oh, my concern at this point in time is, for one of my colleagues, and that's Helen Haines.
FERGUSON: Just for those people amongst us, you spoke about her before. We know that she's a deeply committed member of representative of Indi. But what do you think about Helen Haines, what does she mean to you?
PRIME MINISTER: Integrity. She's someone who is very passionate about her community. She's someone who's not shy about coming forward about what she thinks that community needs. But she's also someone who plays a role in the Parliament. She's the Deputy Chair of the NACC Committee, looking at the National Anti‑Corruption Commission. And so she plays a role in parliamentary committees. She's someone who's always worth listening to. Because her motives are good doesn't mean we always agree, but I do always agree that her motives are good. And she's just a thoroughly decent, respectful human being who is a delight to work with and her presence in the Parliament adds to it.
FERGUSON: And just to finish now, what will you be expecting from the AFP, from ASIO, from Victoria Police over the next 24 hours?
PRIME MINISTER: We'll be expecting further updates on the potential motivations. Of course. We have an important legal system to go through. We don't want to pre-empt any of those matters, but we'll be updated on that and any other advice about further action that should be taken in a broader sense as a result of the incident this afternoon. And the Government stands ready to accept that advice. And I'm sure that the Opposition, hence my discussion I had when I rang. Angus Taylor has offered his support as well. This is an incident that needs a response more broadly, but at the moment it's about Helen Haines and her family and her friends, her community. And we just hope there's good news coming there in the very short term.
FERGUSON: We hope so, too. Prime Minister, thank you very much indeed.
PRIME MINISTER: Thanks very much, Sarah.
