I rise today to speak about our parliamentary colleague and friend the member for Indi, Dr Helen Haines. It is difficult to find the words to describe the shock and sadness we have all felt following the devastating news of the attack on Helen outside her electorate office in Wangaratta. Like so many people across this country, I have been thinking of Helen, her family, her staff and the community she represents.

Helen is a person of extraordinary integrity, intellect and compassion. She is a thoughtful and principled parliamentarian, a formidable advocate for her community and, above all, a genuinely lovely person. Those qualities are not separate from one another. They are at the very heart of who Helen is and how she approaches her work. As the Independent member for Indi, Helen has demonstrated that representing a community is about much more than holding a seat in this parliament. Being a federal member is about listening. It is about showing up. It is about taking people's concerns seriously even when the solutions are complicated or the political path is difficult. It is about being accessible to the people who have placed their trust in you. Helen embodies those qualities. She has earned the respect of colleagues across the parliament not simply because of her knowledge and ability but because of the way she conducts herself. She is intelligent without being arrogant, determined without being abrasive and passionate about her work without ever losing sight of the people at the centre of it. She asks difficult questions. She pursues accountability. She is prepared to stand her ground when she believes something matters. She does all of that with a decency and humanity that command respect. She is warm, generous and kind. She treats people with respect regardless of their position or political affiliation. She is the sort of person who makes time for others and who genuinely wants to understand their experiences. In a parliament where we will inevitably disagree, those qualities matter enormously.

We can argue passionately about policy. We can hold very different views about how our country should be governed. We can challenge one another's decisions and demand better from one another. Indeed, robust debate is an essential part of our democracy. But none of that should ever come at the expense of our shared humanity. No-one should have to fear for their safety because they have chosen to serve their community. No-one should have to worry that going to work, meeting constituents or walking into their own electorate office might expose them to violence. No-one should have to endure an attack of this kind.

The consequences of what has happened to Helen extend well beyond one individual. Her family is facing an unimaginable ordeal. Her staff have experienced a deeply traumatic event. Her community has been shaken by the violence inflicted on someone who has spent years working on its behalf. All of us in parliament have been reminded in the most confronting way of the vulnerability of those who have put themselves forward for public service. We must never take for granted the people who choose to serve their communities. We must never lose sight of the fact that every member of this parliament is a person with a family, with friends, with hopes and plans for the future and with people who love them.

I also wish to acknowledge the people of Wangaratta and the wider Indi community, including those who rushed to Helen's aid and those who have rallied around her and her family in the days since the attack. The compassion and courage shown by members of the community are a powerful reminder of the good in people, even in the face of something so confronting and distressing. To Helen's husband, Phil, and her family and staff, I extend my heartfelt thoughts and support during this incredibly difficult time. And to Helen herself, I say this: You are a valued colleague, a respected parliamentarian and a much loved friend to many in this place. You have given so much of yourself, and to the people of Indi you have brought intelligence, integrity and compassion in your work. And you have shown us what public service looks like when it is grounded in a genuine commitment to people. We are all deeply sorry that you have suffered this terrible attack.

I've had people in my own community of Aston sending me messages of love and support to you, saying how much they admire you and your dedication to your community. Helen, we are all wishing you strength and sending you and your family our love and solidarity, and we look forward to the day when we welcome you back among us. I commend Helen Haines, the member for Indi, and extend my deepest sympathy and support to her, her family, her staff and the entire Indi community.