Man, 43, arrested over Australian MP car 'attack' is identified as radical anti-Israel climate campaigner - as Helen Haines remains fighting for her life after losing a leg

The man accused of deliberately running over an Australian MP and leaving her fighting for her life has been identified as a radical anti-Israel climate campaigner.

Brendan Nugent, 43, was arrested after Helen Haines, a centrist independent, was struck by a car outside her MP office in Victoria on Monday afternoon - seeing her suffer severe lower body injuries and lose her leg.

The politician on Tuesday remained in a critical condition as surgeons tried to save her second leg.

Social media accounts linked to the suspect have since revealed that Nugent was an anti-Israel activist and a radical environmentalist.

Recent posts refer to the conflict in Gaza, while older posts focused on environmental issues, like logging, and referred to himself as a 'plant person'.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told the nation that Ms Haines had undergone emergency surgery in Melbourne overnight following the horrific collision but remains in a critical condition.

Witnesses have claimed that a white Toyota Land Cruiser had driven past Ms Haines collecting items from the boot of her car when it made a U-turn and rammed into the politician twice.

A brave barber watching from his shop next door rushed to the MP's defence and brought the driver to the floor while Ms Haines reportedly remained pinned under the car.

Helen Haines, a centrist independent, was struck by a car outside her MP office in Victoria on Monday afternoon

Brendan Nugent, pictured, is accused of running Ms Haines over and has been identified as a radical anti-Israel climate campaigner

Eyewitnesses have claimed that a white Toyota Land Cruiser had driven past Ms Haines collecting items from the boot of her car when it made a U-turn and rammed into the politician twice

The driver of a white 1997 model Toyota Land Cruiser 70 Series Troop Carrier has been arrested in connection with the crash

Father-of-three Ricky Jefferies made a citizen's arrest as he waited for police to arrive some minutes later. It is said when they emptied the driver's pockets, a pocketknife was discovered, which he kicked away from the suspect.

Nugent remains in police custody after spending the night in a cell. He will undergo a mental health assessment ahead of formal interviews by detectives on Tuesday.

Speaking at an event in Melbourne, the Australian Prime Minister said: 'All of our thoughts are with Helen Haines today, with her family, her team, her many, many friends and indeed her community as well.

'It's a reminder that at the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character.'

Albanese told the audience that he had spoken to Mr Jefferies, adding that the hero barber ran into danger 'not knowing what the consequences could potentially be for him'.

Meanwhile, counter-terrorism authorities are set to continue to investigate the incident.

Australian authorities confirmed that the suspect was known to police but had not been on the radar of law enforcement agencies recently.

The suspect had allegedly engaged with Ms Haines on X on several occasions – the last being six years ago and in a post even appeared to commend the MP on her stance on climate change.

The MP, who was elected in 2019, has previously called for strong action on climate change, including a target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030.

She has also urged Australia to impose sanctions on Israel and put greater pressure on the Netanyahu government to end the conflict, while calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and urgent humanitarian aid.

A photo of the 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser uploaded in 2018 to an X account under Nugent's name has the same number plate as the vehicle allegedly used in Monday's incident.

An account attributed to Brendan Nugent has repeatedly interacted with Ms Haines in the past

A man wore a 'this is not us' shirt following the attack on the MP

Another shared a note at the door of the politicians office - along with a bunch of flowers

Police have separately confirmed that there was no record of the vehicle which allegedly struck Ms Haines as being stolen.

The account had previously posted about Israel's war in Gaza and about a 'satanic child sexual abuse material network' just days ago.

Replying to Penny Wong on X after she shared a statement from Albanese, the account called the two politicians a 'couple of US lap dogs'.

'Couple of US lap dogs. Maybe if you had warned Israel about its attacks the world wouldn't be where it is right now,' the account wrote.

In 2024, the account responded to then-UK PM Keir Starmer calling for a ceasefire: 'The only reason Israel bombs innocent people in Rafah is because people like you give them the diplomatic cover and military assistance to do it.'

Police have said it is too soon to have ascertained Nugent's political leanings, or any potential motivation for the alleged attack.

'The focus of the investigation will be to determine, why and how this occurred and whether it was an intentional or deliberate act,' Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason said.

But, according to sources, Nugent has a history of activism in the area and then strayed into 'darker' things.

Shocked locals and schoolchildren have begun laying flowers and handwritten notes outside the politician's office.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Bourke said 'no one would have thought' Ms Haines would be among the MPs most at risk of a violent attack.

Hours before the alleged attack, Ms Haines had been taking part in an event at a local school where she was presenting the Australian flag.

'Our national flags are powerful symbols of who we are as Australians - our history, our values and the country we're proud to call home,' the MP wrote in her most recent post.

'I hope these flags inspire pride in our country and conversations about what it means to be Australian.'

Ms Haines is widely known in Canberra and nationally as a strong voice for integrity and honesty in politics after playing a key role in establishing the National Anti-Corruption Commission.

The MP is also a passionate advocate for healthcare and regional Australia, having worked beforehand in the industry as a midwife and researcher.

The 'Good Samaritan' who came to Ms Haines's 'defence' told reporters on Tuesday morning that he did not see himself as a hero and 'was just a person who had an opportunity to intervene in a safe-ish sort of way'.

'I didn't realise the seriousness of the situation initially and once it became relevant, I just did what I could and what others were already trying to do,' Mr Jefferies said.

'I basically asked him to jump out of the car and got him out of the car. I had him sit on the ground and police got there within minutes,' he added.

An emotional Mr Albanese earlier told ABC: 'This wasn't an accident. There was a deliberate act, it would appear.'

The incident is believed to be isolated and the public have been reassured that they face no further threat.

'[Ms Haines is] greatly admired right across the political spectrum. She's someone who's characterised by her kindness, her diligence, her intelligence, someone who is so proud of representing that beautiful part of Victoria,' Mr Albanese told a local broadcaster on Tuesday morning.

'And this is a tragic situation, and our thoughts are with her this morning and today, and we hope for a full recovery.'

Mr Albanese added that he wasn't aware of any threats made toward Ms Haines in the lead up to the incident.

However, the PM said despite 'this dark and terrible time' there was an 'element of light' through the courageous actions of 'Good Samaritan' Mr Jeffries.

'That person is a hero today,' he said.

'And I just think that he deserves enormous praise and thanks for his intervention, which could have prevented even further infliction of damage, which was aimed at Helen,' the PM added.

Australian opposition leader Angus Taylor said it was a 'shocking day for the nation' and that he was personally praying for Ms Haines.

He said: 'No one should be targeted in this way. Australians will be angry and appalled by the attack on Helen outside her electorate office in Wangaratta.

'Our nation cannot become a place where violent attacks are normalised. I've spoken with the prime minister, and we are united in our view that political violence must never be accepted as part of public life.'

Poundland could disappear from the High Street within days as Andy Burnham asks questions over how its owners handled a sales process.

Thousands of nervous staff are waiting to hear what will happen to the discount retailer after it filed a notice to appoint administrators with the High Court today.

This will give the business, bought by US investment firm Gordon Brothers for less than £1 last year, some breathing room – ten days – to find a rescue deal. AlixPartners is poised to take over a potential insolvency process.

But the Poundland brand and its 600 shops will not be sold as a whole, leading to a carve-up of the 36-year old retailer, meaning jobs are at risk at any shops that are not bought.

And on Thursday night, the Prime Minister said he is ready to demand answers from owners amid a 'deeply worrying time' for staff and their families.

Burnham told The Telegraph: 'We want to see jobs protected. If there was a potential owner to avoid this that hasn’t been accepted, then the Business Secretary and I want to know why that is the case.'

Battle for survival: The fate of Poundland's near 12,000 staff hangs in the balance.

It would mark the biggest high street collapse since Debenhams closed its doors in 2021 with the loss of 12,000 jobs.

Job losses could hit 600 shops and a distribution centre in Makerfield, Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s constituency, which employs around 270 people.

Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds also said he was ‘very much concerned’ and would push for answers as workers and bosses seethe over its failure to find a buyer.

He told The Telegraph: ‘If it is true that it was not necessary to put the business into administration then the present owners will have to account for that.’

Why has Poundland struggled?

Chains like Poundland are battling shoppers with constrained budgets while costs, such as employing people, have increased – following Government moves to hike wages and employer National Insurance contributions. Savvier shoppers are looking for cheaper online alternatives, including Amazon, Temu and TikTok Shop.

Former owners, the Warsaw-listed Pepco Group, made some wrong moves that did not go down well with its customers, including putting Pepco clothing in its shops.

Its most recent woes stem back to last year, when it narrowly avoided collapsing into administration. The chain was sold in June 2025 to US firm Gordon Brothers for a nominal €1 amid 'challenging trading conditions'.

By November 2025, around 100 Poundland shops had been shut or earmarked for closure. Two months later, as part of its radical turnaround plan, Poundland had shut 149 stores with 2,200 job losses.

But this year, Poundland bosses insisted it was turning a corner, pointing to like-for-like sales growth of 3.3 per cent in the three months to September 26.

Poundland's managing director Barry Williams said earlier this month: 'Our recovery plan is working, thanks to our investment in simple low pricing and new ranges, powered by our new in-house teams.'

Why is there a dispute between Poundland’s owners and its bosses?

Both shop workers’ union Usdaw and Poundland’s management have accused Gordon Brothers of mishandling a sales process, which it kicked off at the beginning of September.

The union met with the minister for the future of work, Kate Dearden, on Wednesday, amid warnings of what would be the biggest High Street collapse in years.

Three directors, appointed less than a fortnight ago, this week walked out following a dramatic dispute with owners Gordon Brothers.

Hours later the retailer’s management hit out at the owners, calling the process ‘unexpected, unwanted and avoidable’.

Government adviser David Bickerton is set to ask ‘fairly basic questions of senior people around Poundland’ in order to ‘establish what the situation is,’ on behalf of the business secretary, the Financial Times reported.

What does a notice to appoint administrators mean?

‘Filing a notice of intention isn’t administration itself,’ explains Julie Palmer, managing partner at real estate advisory group BTG.

Instead, it effectively keeps the wolves from the door for up to ten business days of protection and helps the firm preserve cash.

She added: ‘If an appointment follows, the administrators take control of the company from the directors. Their first duty is to try to rescue it as a going concern.

'If that isn’t possible, they aim for a better result for creditors than liquidation would give. In practice that usually means a sale, either of the whole business or in parts. For staff and customers, stores normally keep trading while that happens, but the risk is that the business is broken up, with stronger stores sold and weaker ones closed.’

Who could buy the shops?

Owner Gordon Brothers rejected a takeover offer from Irish real estate firm Martin Property Group – despite management and unions arguing this was the best deal on the table.

This would have been for the whole business, including its brand and full store estate.

But now it seems like other major retailers, especially those with grand expansion plans, could pick up some shops from Poundland.

The owner of The Range, Homebase and Wilko – known as Britain’s ‘Del Boy Billionaire’ – is thought to be interested. Chris Dawson, 74, who runs CDS Superstores, acquired the Wilko brand out of administration in 2023.

Dawson got his nickname, the 'Del Boy billionaire', via the press as a reference to his yellow Lamborghini Urus, which has a personalised number plate 'DE11 BOY', a homage to the character Del Boy Trotter from the classic TV show Only Fools and Horses.

Dawson started his career as a market trader, before founding The Range and scaling it to a major high street chain. He has since acquired Wilko and Homebase out of administration.

Chris Dawson, 74, runs CDS Superstores, which owns The Range, Homebase and Wilko

Poundstretcher owner Fortress is also understood to be looking at buying shops. The rival discount retailer runs more than 300 shops in the UK.

Supermarket Lidl also hopes to be able to snap up some of its stores if the retailer fails to sell the whole company. The discounter is pushing ahead with a major expansion mission.

TG Jones owner is also understood to be interested in buying parts of the Poundland business.

The private equity group owns Britain's WH Smith shops, now known as TG Jones stores and previously bought ailing accessories chain Claire's, Hobbycraft and The Original Factory Shop.

All Claire's standalone shops in the UK and Ireland stopped trading earlier this year after its financial woes saw it fall into administration twice in a year.

Are shops open and will staff be paid?

Poundland shops are currently open and operating business as usual.

But Poundland's managing director Barry Williams wrote a letter to around 12,000, accusing the retailer’s owner of limiting the chain's access to funding.

This has effectively prevented bosses from making routine payments, with suppliers now worried they will not be paid on time this week, according to Sky News.

But sources close to the crisis talks insisted that this should not prevent staff from being paid at the end of the month.

Williams told staff: 'I'm disappointed to have to tell you that Gordon Brothers have given instructions that restricts our access to funds that we would, in normal circumstances expect to access fully under our existing loan agreement.'

Gordon Brothers are accused of breaching the terms of an asset-based lending facility by failing to submit a budget to the shareholders on time despite an agreed grace period – with the business now outperforming those forecasts, Sky News reported.

Julie Palmer, managing partner at real estate advisory group BTG, says that in this situation, ‘existing commitments such as payroll and supplier invoices can still be met from cash already available‘.

But bosses cannot ‘draw further funds to cover anything beyond that,’ she says, which poses a problem as retailers typically draw from these loans in the autumn to buy Christmas stock - before repaying from festive sales in December and January.

She added: ‘If a lender has concerns about longer-term viability, it may simply be unwilling to increase its exposure by funding that stock build, particularly when it can’t be sure who will own the business, or what shape it will be in, by the time the money needs to come back.

‘That leaves management with very little room to manoeuvre. It limits their ability to buy stock or take on new commitments, and puts directors in a difficult position, because they must be confident the company can meet its liabilities before taking on new ones. Once credit insurers pull back and suppliers start asking for payment up front, the squeeze tightens quickly.’