Two arrested after One Nation volunteer allegedly attacked in Victoria

Two people have been arrested in Australia over an alleged attack on a One Nation volunteer, according to the BBC. Officers made the arrests after an incident on Sunday night at the volunteer’s property in Torquay, a town about 100 kilometres south-west of Melbourne.

The Guardian reports that the man is 37 and lives in Hampton Park. He faces charges including deliberately inflicting injury, along with other offences linked to assault. He has been held in custody and is due back before a court on 10 November. The boy, who is 14, received a caution instead.

The volunteer’s condition

According to police, the 60-year-old man was admitted to hospital with injuries they describe as not life threatening. The BBC reports that he remains in a stable condition.

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson gave a different account. After visiting him at University Hospital Geelong on Tuesday, she told reporters his condition could be life threatening. She said he had been kicked hard enough to lose consciousness and was bleeding in the brain. These claims have not been confirmed in the police statements reported by the outlets.

Hanson praised the man’s resilience and his continued support for her party. She said he wanted to return to putting up election signs as soon as he could. The party has also shared a photo showing severe swelling and bruising to his face.

Motive and political reaction

Police have not confirmed a motive. One Nation’s Victorian leader, Warren Pickering, said the pair had interfered with election signs on the volunteer’s property before the attack. The BBC reports that Pickering called the alleged assault unacceptable and said people should vote against politicians they dislike rather than assault their supporters.

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll described the attack as ‘shocking’. He said volunteers from every party were doing what they believed was right and should not come under attack. The opposition leader, Jess Wilson, said violence was never the answer. The Victorian Greens leader, Ellen Sandell, called for better safety measures for MPs, staff and volunteers during the campaign.

According to the Guardian, an online fundraiser for the victim and his family had raised more than $80,000 by 2pm on Tuesday. The victim is self-employed. The fundraiser included a $2,000 personal donation from Hanson.

Wider concern over election violence

The alleged assault comes during a state election campaign in Victoria, which is due on 28 November. The BBC notes that it follows an attack last month on federal MP Helen Haines, who needed both legs amputated. Politicians, police and experts have warned that heated public debate is increasing the risk of political violence in Australia.

The Guardian also reports other recent incidents. Police are searching for a woman over an incident involving Liberal MP Georgie Crozier on 17 October, when a vehicle mounted a gutter near a group of volunteers outside a supermarket in Port Melbourne. No one was physically injured. Victoria’s emergency services minister, Paul Edbrooke, has said he feared for his family’s safety after a bullet bearing a threatening word was left on his car.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• BBC News: Man and boy arrested after allegedly attacking One Nation volunteer with bat
• The Guardian: Man and boy arrested after One Nation volunteer allegedly attacked with baseball bat in Victoria

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