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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Caitlin Cassidy, Henry Belot and Benita Kolovos

No bail for alleged Helen Haines attacker as police chief warns of Australia’s ‘febrile’ political environment

Brendan Nugent at an anti-logging protest in 2019.
Brendan Nugent at an anti-logging protest in 2019. Photograph: PR IMAGE

The head of the Australian federal police has condemned a “febrile” political environment that has seen one person charged every week over the alleged threatening of MPs, as Victoria announces new steps to protect politicians.

But the AFP and Victoria police insist they had no intelligence to suggest 43-year-old Brendan Nugent would go on to allegedly drive a Toyota LandCruiser into the independent MP Helen Haines in a targeted attack.

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