Anthony Albanese’s office circulated a document raising unsubstantiated questions about the integrity of independent MP Helen Haines after she criticised a $6 million government grant linked to the Prime Minister’s local golf club.
The material was sent to selected members of Australia’s parliamentary press gallery about a month before Ms Haines was seriously injured in an alleged attack outside her office in Wangaratta.
Ms Haines was airlifted to Melbourne’s Alfred Hospital and remains in a critical condition after Brendan Nugent, 43, allegedly rammed her against her car with a Toyota LandCruiser, reversed and struck her a second time.
Mr Albanese has since called for a lowering of the political temperature, praised Ms Haines’s integrity and warned against unjustified attacks on politicians’ motives.
“I do always agree that her motives are good,” the Prime Minister told ABC’s 7.30 programme on Monday night.
The document, which carried the name of Mr Albanese’s deputy director of communications, sought to scrutinise Ms Haines’s funding requests for projects in her northern Victorian electorate of Indi.
It asked whether she had received undeclared wine or food from local businesses, held commercial interests, accepted political donations or had personal associations with companies that might benefit from government tourism funding.
No evidence of wrongdoing was provided. Instead, the document suggested lines of inquiry for journalists after Ms Haines had criticised government pork barrelling and called for greater transparency.
Questions over regional funding requests
Among the issues raised was an $8 million request for the redevelopment of the Benalla Art Gallery. The document asked whether Ms Haines had visited the gallery, been a member, donated to it or had personal or professional links to its staff or board.
It also questioned whether she had played or trained with local sporting clubs, attended matches or received jerseys or equipment while advocating funding for a recreation centre upgrade.
The document highlighted ski-lift passes Ms Haines and her spouse had received at Mount Buller, alongside later requests for funding for infrastructure at the resort.
When the material was brought to her attention, Ms Haines said she had not previously seen it and described those behind it as “pretty desperate”.
She said her annual budget submissions were public documents supporting projects put forward by councils, regional development officials and community organisations. “I’m proud of it,” she said.
Ms Haines also drew a distinction between requesting funding and having the authority to allocate it. She said she could not “fix a grant program” to deliver projects she supported and therefore sought specialist competitive grants, including for regional hospitals.
The document recorded that Ms Haines had requested more than $1.8 billion for projects across two budget submissions. Those requests were set against her criticism that Australians were increasingly fed up with a “self-serving political establishment” and that pork barrelling damaged trust in democracy.
It questioned the value for money and due diligence behind the projects before turning to Ms Haines’s possible personal connections, without providing answers or evidence of undisclosed interests.
Albanese praises Haines’s integrity
On Monday evening, Mr Albanese repeatedly praised Ms Haines’s character and said political differences should be debated respectfully.
“They shouldn’t be the subject of personal rancour and the calling into people’s motivation where it’s not appropriate to do so,” he said.
He also criticised a “contest for clicks” and called for more nuance and less shouting in political debate.
Asked what Ms Haines meant to him, he replied: “Integrity.” He added: “There’s a reason why Helen Haines is so loved and admired, because she’s someone of integrity.”
Mr Albanese described her as passionate about her community and said she was always worth listening to, even when they disagreed.
File information on the Microsoft Word document lists “Lloyd, Joshua” as its creator and last editor. Joshua Lloyd is the Prime Minister’s deputy director of communications, while the document’s company field identifies the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Its creation date is recorded as September 10, the day after the statement by Ms Haines quoted in the document. Such metadata does not conclusively establish who wrote or authorised material and can be carried over from templates or altered.
Mr Albanese said the motive for the alleged attack on Ms Haines remained unknown and should not be prejudged, adding that her welfare was his immediate priority.
“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,” he said.
The Prime Minister’s office has been contacted for comment.
