Independent senator David Pocock delivered a sobering message to the National Press Club this week in the wake of the alleged attack on his friend and colleague Helen Haines: it’s time to confront how anger has been fuelled, encouraged and exploited for political gain.
Fri 23 Oct 2026 11.29 AEDT
Photo: AAP Image/Lukas Coch
Political leaders across the spectrum have rallied around independent MP Helen Haines, expressing shock and condemning violence after the 65-year-old was struck by a car in what the Prime Minister described as an “attack”.
Independent senator David Pocock delivered a sobering message to the National Press Club this week in the wake of the alleged attack on his friend and colleague Helen Haines: it’s time to confront how anger has been fuelled, encouraged and exploited for political gain.
“Politics should be a contest of ideas, not who can whip up the most hate or spread the most misinformation,” he said.
The government has revealed that threats against politicians in Australia have escalated at an alarming rate.
It’s a risk Senator Pocock said his wife Emma worries about every day.
“This week one of those political threats we’ve seen in increasing numbers was carried out for the first time against a sitting member of our parliament. Against Helen,” he said.
Ms Haines, a former nurse and midwife, lost both legs following the alleged attack outside her electorate office in Wangaratta.
A 43-year-old man has been charged with dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and the Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official.
Police allege he deliberately drove his car into the Victorian MP.
Senator Pocock said the alleged attack had brought some hard truths into sharp focus.
“I think we do need to acknowledge that much of the anger, the division, the, at times, incredibly hateful comments that have festered in this age of anonymous social media accounts, has spilled over into the real world,” he said.
It also raises a broader question about accountability and why politicians in some states are still allowed to lie outright in political advertising.
While businesses have long been prohibited from engaging in misleading and deceptive conduct, political advertising remains largely exempt from equivalent truth-in-advertising requirements in several states.
“Recent Australian elections have been marred by misinformation, AI-generated deepfakes and deliberate lies – but successful truth in political advertising laws in South Australia and the ACT prove an alternative is possible,” said Bill Browne, director of the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program.
Pressure is growing for change in NSW, where more than 31,500 people have signed a petition calling on state parliament to introduce laws in line with those already in place in South Australia and the ACT.
Quality research, analysis, explainers and factchecks from experts you can trust.
The petition closed in September and was the fourth-most popular electronic petition in NSW history.
Having exceeded the 20,000 signature threshold, the petition has now qualified for a debate in NSW Parliament.
“This year, 31,537 NSW residents told politicians that they want truth in politics laws before next year’s state election. Next month’s debate will be a chance for parliamentarians to make the case for these laws – or explain why they are not acting,” said Mr Browne.
During the 2024 Queensland election campaign, then-opposition leader David Crisafulli pledged to consider truth-in-political-advertising laws if elected, declaring “heaven knows we need it”.
Then-Labor Premier Steven Miles responded by accusing Mr Crisafulli of running a campaign “based on a series of lies”.
The Crisafulli government has since passed electoral reforms requiring political advertisements to identify who authorised them but stopped short of outlawing false or misleading political claims.
This week – two years out from the next state election- he said he would re-consider them.
“South Australia has had truth in political advertising laws for 40 years now, and they are well understood, respected and effective at nipping misinformation in the bud,” said Mr Browne.
He believes Queensland now has the opportunity to follow suit.
“Both Premier Crisafulli and Opposition Leader Miles have expressed interest in truth in political advertising laws — making this a rare opportunity for bipartisan collaboration,” he said.
Senator Pocock said he was more determined than ever to push for change, warning the current two-party system was “letting us down”.
But he insisted there was a way forward that “does not involve violence, hatred or division”, envisioning a coalition of community independents holding the balance of power in a minority government.
“My ambition is much bigger than that. I want to be part of building a political system that actually delivers for Australians, no matter who is Prime Minister,” he said.