Helen Haines was chatting with locals at a dog park on Monday morning. By the afternoon, she was fighting for her life

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• Politicians condemn alleged attack after independent MP Helen Haines critically injured

• Who is Helen Haines, the MP allegedly attacked in Victoria?

Victorian independent MP Helen Haines was at the opening of a dog park in Mansfield on Monday, out and about the sprawling northern Victorian electorate, talking to locals and moving freely.

Later in the afternoon, at 3.35pm, she was unpacking a car outside her electorate office when a man understood to be known to authorities struck her with his car. He allegedly completed a U-turn when he saw Haines.