Independent MP Helen Haines is in a serious but stable condition following an alleged attack near her electorate office in Wangaratta last week.

Dylan Bird is joined by Zoe Daniel, journalist and former independent member for Goldstein, to discuss her longtime friendship with Helen, her own experience with violent threats during her time in Parliament, the factors driving political violence, and how we can alleviate or prevent some of these harms, as explored in her article for The Guardian: I knew one of us could get hurt eventually. I never thought it would be my friend Helen.

“I don’t believe it’s any one thing … there’s increasing isolation and loneliness among communities, and I think all of these factors are having an influence on the rising tide of anger and the manifestation of that.”

Photo credit: Zoe Daniel’s website.