Transcript from remarks provided in Melbourne, 21 October 2026.

It's very hard to follow Phil, but I will do so because he has invited me to say a few words. You've heard why, and I am so touched that you would ask me to join you here this evening. Australia is still reeling with the shock and distress of this terrible attack on our much-loved member for Indi, Helen Haines. I know that here in Victoria, people are simply, in particular, dumbfounded and finding it very hard to fathom the scale of this tragedy. I know that in Wangaratta there have been vigils. I know that those vigils have continued across the country and that tonight I know Cathy McGowan is at a vigil in Wodonga. It was so telling that when I spoke to Helen's office, the Chief of Staff, Kaz, when this was first breaking, the first instinct of that office, which says so much about Helen, was to say we must, one must remember when we speak of the terrible behaviour of one person with such catastrophic consequences, we must weigh that against the many thousands of Australians who have shown such care for Helen and her family in the last two days. That balance from the office of Helen’s tells you so much about her humanity and her family's humanity.

I have ensured that His Majesty The King is regularly updated on this shocking moment. At the invitation of Phil and his family, I'm speaking to you tonight both as a friend of Helen's, but also as your Governor-General, as so many of my predecessors have done in very difficult times in Australia's history.

At a different time when the country was facing different challenges, Sir Zelman Cowan said that the role of the Governor-General is to help the nation interpret itself, particularly in very challenging circumstances. And during his term, Sir William Deane said that in times of national tragedy, we see the willingness of ordinary Australians to stretch out the hand of assistance and comfort. He described that spirit of generosity as the great healing force of the nation.

And of course, that is what we have seen already and you've heard from Phil. We have seen extraordinary efforts occurring at times of an extraordinary moment. It started with Ricky Jefferies and the other extraordinary bystanders who immediately rushed selflessly to Helen's side in the critical moments of the attack, joined by the office and those that followed.  I've been lucky enough to speak to Ricky, and his humility and his absolute rejection of the title hero reflects the Australian character we so often talk about and see everywhere. Decency, care and a simple concern for others.

I join Phil in acknowledging that many people were there in those opening moments. The paramedics, the Victorian Police, the People at the North East Health in Wangaratta, the transport to get Helen safely here and stabilised, all of the medical, surgical, nursing, administrative team that have taken such beautiful care of Helen in these last two days. We know that that has meant a great deal to the family, and it means that she's in a stable condition and we have great hope for the days ahead. Now, this violent attack on a much loved and respected sitting member of our Federal Parliament must be a moment for us to pause and to choose to be better. In fact, it is bittersweet and quite difficult to talk about, but I was discussing this very topic with Helen just two weeks ago in Euroa when we were both visiting a recovery hub dealing with the bushfire recovery. And we talked about the need for greater civility and engagement across our civic and public life. As ever, Helen was actively thinking of ways in which the Australian community could come together and be encouraged to be both more engaged in our democracy, our great democracy, and participate with the kind of engagement she has always done – kindness and care and respect.

Now, just as my predecessors have all experienced, the Office of the Governor-General has this extraordinary privilege of experiencing Australia from a panoramic view, and then in the fine and deep grain of our communities. That's where I was with Helen in Euroa, and that's where we see the project of coming together and building connection and purpose and belonging in our country. It happens every day. It's what I saw in Strathbogie, Shepparton and Euroa in the Victorian visit that I was so lucky enough to catch up with Helen and to talk to local MPs alongside her, talk to the mayors, talk to her about this national project, that we could actually encourage care and kindness once again.

So, in light of what you've heard from Phil and what we know of Helen's situation at the moment, what do we all do? What does a nation do now? Well, first, and with the permission of the family, I think we should do what I imagine Helen would be doing if she was not the victim of this terrible attack. Reaching out to those who are terribly distressed by what has happened, who are still trying to cope with this. We need to offer everyone comfort to get through this, to celebrate our strong and stable system of government and parliaments and democracy and be proud of that. Remind ourselves, as Helen says all the time, that Australians have good hearts, great hearts, and checking each of ourselves to ensure that we are, in fact, disagreeing well, not fighting with one another, not descending into violence and chaos and division. Most importantly, that we learn or relearn to exercise our muscle of decency.

Now, what I see and what I saw with everything that Helen has done across Indi and well beyond, is communities around Australia where Australians are yearning for kindness and care. And they're asking us why we've lost the great skill of disagreeing well and with decency to each other. Our democracy, the great Australian democracy, has always relied on passionate and robust debate. It's a healthy and vital part of a modern and successful nation, and Helen plays a huge role in that, in representing her community. We don't have to all agree, but we can wrestle the issue, not the person, just as Helen has done throughout her time in Parliament, representing the issues of her community and fighting for the very best.

It's important to remember words matter, whether spoken or in written form or increasingly in the virtual world. So, in the midst of what is a disturbing and distressing moment, particularly for Helen's family and her friends and her team, everyone who loves her, let's work together as a healing force, as Sir William Deane first put it.

More recently, one of my predecessors, Sir Peter Cosgrove, has talked about what's happening with civility in this country. He describes civility as having the decency to understand and respect different points of view while allowing individuals the space to hold and debate them constructively. Now I'm the daughter of a soldier, so I understand this impulse for us to treat everyone with decency and respect, to find each other where we are at. So, I agree with Sir Peter's comments.

But right now, like everyone in Australia and here at the Alfred, with everyone who has shown so much care to Helen and her family, my thoughts on behalf of all Australians are with Helen, with Phil, her entire family, everyone that loves her, everyone that has been part of Helen's great story of the representation of Indi and everything that she has always done in her life. Particularly in the 40 years of her beautiful relationship with you and the children and grandchildren that say so much about that great love.

I know you've heard from Phil that the family are drawing great comfort from the extraordinary affection being expressed not just around the country, but across the world. And I hope that as Australians, we can now reflect on, thoughtfully on, what has happened and can recommit all ourselves to the care, kindness and respect that I know are so deeply embedded in the Australian character. We have to stand by Helen in the next few days. It's day by day, as you've heard. We've got to hope that that beautiful heart, that beautiful mind will be strengthened every day by our support and our commitment to be more like Helen as part of this great democracy. It's the very least we can do for someone who gave her life to others, represented her community, and will go on and do so again with the kind of passion and care that we can all learn from and that makes sure that we are a united country that can be so proud of everything that we stand for.

Do follow Phil's advocacy for the Save the Children Fund. I know that means so much to Helen. It doesn't surprise me that that's where she would want the money to go. It shows that great character once again about caring for so many others. So, Save the Children is the fund she would like you to give to generously.

But please, everyone's thoughts and love for Helen every hour of the next few days and weeks and months ahead. And for the family, for Phil and everyone who loves this great Australian, this great woman, I can't wait to see her great heart and her great mind back in action, exercising that great muscle of decency and teaching us how we can be better. Thank you.

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