This past week, many of us in this place have prayed—some aloud and some silently—for our friend and colleague Dr Helen Haines, the member for Indi. I do not claim to know the member for Indi as well as many in this chamber do, but for the first few weeks when I started I watched her very carefully. I saw the rigour of her thinking, the strength of her convictions and the practical and determined advocacy she brings to this parliament on behalf of the people of Indi. The member for Indi never speaks to hear her own voice; she speaks because someone in her community is counting on her to do so. She has set a high standard for what Australians should expect from their representatives, and I'm grateful she set that standard when new members like me could see it. Today, she is alive and stable, and for that I give thanks.

Scripture tells us that, to follow Christ, it is up to us to take up the cross daily. Helen now carries a cross she never chose—one that is heavy, unjust and difficult beyond words. Yet my faith also teaches us that no-one is meant to carry such a burden alone. To Phil and to Helen's family and friends: please know that you are in my prayers and also those of the electorate of Barton. To Helen's colleagues in this place, especially those who work closely with her: I know this past week has weighed heavily on your hearts. Politics may challenge us on policies and priorities, but grief does not recognise party lines and neither does love. In moments like this, we are reminded that, before we are parliamentarians, we're human beings.

I will be pretty frank: over the past week, I've simultaneously felt quite deep sadness and frustration. Before entering parliament I spent over a decade practising as an employment lawyer, and throughout those years one principle remained constant: dignity at work. Every person has the right to perform their work safely. That principle applies whether someone works in an office, in a construction site, in a hospital, in a school or in this parliament. It applies in this building. It applies in every electorate office across the country. It applies at every community event where elected representatives engage with the people they serve—and it applies not only to members of parliament but also to the staff and the volunteers who work to support the work and make public service possible.

Violence towards any person is unacceptable. It's wrong, it's never justified and it can never be tolerated. I sometimes wonder whether people outside this building fully understand the gravity of what has occurred. An attack on the member for Indi is not simply an attack on an individual; it is an attack on the community that chose her to speak on their behalf. Democracy is founded on trust. It depends upon people willing to come forward, engage openly, represent others and serve their communities without fear for their safety. When that principle is threatened, all of us have an obligation to defend it.

I acknowledge and thank those who stepped forward when Helen needed them most—the civilians who ran towards danger rather than away from it, and the paramedics, police officers, doctors, nurses and emergency service personnel who have helped Helen get a chance to still be alive with us here today. To them: you represent the very best of our country, and our national character is very much defined by people like you.

Pope Francis once described politics as 'a lofty vocation' and one of the highest forms of charity because, at its best, it is an act of service to others. Helen has lived that calling every day through her commitment to her community. To Helen: your burden is heavy, but you do not have to carry that cross alone. Your family, your friends, your community, your parliamentary colleagues and your nation are all beside you. May we be worthy of the courage, grace and resilience that you show us all. Speedy recovery, Hel.