I rise to support this motion and to send my love and strength to the member for Indi, Dr Helen Haines. I can't claim to know Helen as well as many in this House who have spoken today—colleagues who have shared years of friendship and stories of who she is as a person. My time with Helen has been in moments—a short comment here, a kind word there across the chamber or in passing in the corridors. In those moments, Helen was always generous. She often praised my advocacy for my community in Fowler. She would tell me how important it is to have a diverse perspective in this House and that she loved hearing the stories I shared about the people of south-west Sydney. Helen, thank you. Your kind and encouraging words meant more to me than you might know.

Just last sitting, during one of the divisions Helen and I spoke at length, which is unusual because we often don't get to sit together, but we did that time. It was a lovely heart-to-heart conversation about life, family and health. Helen told me she couldn't wait to get to the end of the year and have a good, solid rest. We talked about how much work we do as Independents with our communities. We are forever going from one community event to the next. Helen said with a smile that no doubt I had more community events to attend than she did. For Helen, the challenge was distance. Indi is a big electorate, and those long drives, week after week, take their toll. We both agreed that health and family are everything. Helen had just become a grandmother again and said she was looking forward to the role.

What happened last Monday outside her office in Wangaratta shocked this House and the whole nation. Helen was simply doing her job, serving her community, when she was struck in what is alleged to be a deliberate attack. Those that have been hit hardest are the people closest to Helen. To Helen's team: You have been through something no-one should go through. Please look after yourselves and lean on each other. To the people of Indi: we are thinking of you, and we pray for your strength and resilience. To Phil and Helen's family: Phil, you said Helen's heart and mind are in good shape. That is so Helen. Her kindness, love and courage will carry you all through this. Helen, we are with you every step of the way.

I also want to thank everyone who came to Helen's side that afternoon. To the people of Wangaratta who rushed to help without a second thought for their own safety, thank you. To the paramedics, the police and the crew who flew Helen to Melbourne, thank you. To the doctors, nurses and staff at the Alfred who are caring for Helen right now, thank you. Helen spent her working life as a nurse and a midwife. She knows better than anyone the skill and compassion you bring to your work every day.

A motion like this is about more than words. If we are going to honour Helen, let's make it count for her and her community. Just a week before that day, Helen was in this place calling out the more than $9 billion gap in health spending between our cities and regional Australia. She spent her life as a nurse, a midwife and a health researcher, and she never stopped fighting for health care, including mental health care for people outside our big cities. I have fought for the same thing in south-west Sydney. Helen represents a region, and I represent an outer suburban electorate, but our communities have a lot in common. Both are too often left behind when funding is handed out. So my message to the government is this: Show us your commitment. Properly fund health and mental health care in our regions and outer suburbs so that our communities get the care they need so that everyone—MPs and the public alike—can live and work safely. That is what Helen would fight for, and that is how we honour her.

Helen, rest, heal and know that this House is behind you whatever the road ahead looks like. I commend the motion to the House.