Man arrested after entering WA MP's office with nunchucks, days after Haines attack

Police hold man after 'confronting situation' at Hannah Beazley's Victoria Park electorate office

By LineZotpaper

Published21 October 2026

Updated21 October 2026

Read Time3 min

Sources5 outlets

A man has been arrested after allegedly entering the electorate office of Western Australian MP Hannah Beazley armed with nunchucks, just days after federal MP Helen Haines was seriously injured in an attack outside her own office.

Police said they received reports about a man with the weapon around 1.15pm on Wednesday, after he entered the Victoria Park office of Ms Beazley, WA's Minister for Local Government. Officers attended quickly and found the man nearby in Bentley, arresting him. He is currently helping police with their inquiries and has not been charged.

Ms Beazley said in a statement that staff in her electorate office faced "a confronting situation" when a member of the public entered armed with a weapon. "I have spoken to my staff, who are understandably shaken and upset by what took place. Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident," she said. "Right now, my focus is on the welfare of those staff members."

The incident comes days after federal member for Indi Helen Haines was attacked outside her office in Wangaratta on Monday, when a man allegedly hit her with a white Toyota four-wheel-drive. Brendan Nugent, 43, has been charged with dangerous driving causing injury, intentionally causing injury and a Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official. Ms Haines' husband announced on Wednesday that she had lost both legs following emergency surgery. Police have alleged the attack was targeted, but there is no confirmation it was politically motivated.

The Haines attack has prompted WA parliamentarians to voice concerns about a "decline in civil debate", and Ms Beazley said the Victoria Park incident was a worrying example of violence in the community. "Everyone has the right to go about our lives free from the fear of violence, at work, at home and in the community," she said. She said she did not yet know the motivation behind the incident and would not comment further while it was under police investigation.

Earlier on Wednesday, One Nation WA leader Rod Caddies claimed a man threatened to kill him while he was driving home from parliament. Caddies said the man yelled abuse and threatened to follow him home and kill him. He took a photo of the driver's number plate and alerted the dignitary protection unit. A WA Police spokeswoman confirmed police were investigating and said the force had "established capabilities to assess and respond to threats against elected representatives".

Analysis

Why This Matters

The arrest follows a week of safety concerns among Australian politicians after the attack on federal MP Helen Haines.
It highlights the vulnerability of electorate office staff, who can be confronted by members of the public.
Police are still investigating the motivation, and no charges have been laid.

Background

In recent days, Australian politicians have voiced concerns about a decline in civil debate following the attack on Ms Haines in Wangaratta. That attack led to charges against Brendan Nugent and left Ms Haines in critical condition, with her family announcing she had lost both legs. The new incident in Perth, along with the threat reported by Rod Caddies, has intensified those concerns about the safety of elected representatives and their staff.

Key Perspectives

Hannah Beazley, WA Minister for Local Government: Her focus is on the welfare of her staff, who were shaken by the confrontation. She thanked police for their swift response and said the motivation was not yet known. Rod Caddies, One Nation WA leader: He reported a separate incident in which he says a man threatened to kill him while he was driving home from parliament. He said he did not feel unsafe and would keep his One Nation decals on his vehicle. WA Police: Police confirmed they are investigating the threat reported by Caddies and said arrangements to assess and respond to threats against elected representatives remain in place.

What to Watch

Whether the man arrested in Bentley is charged and what the alleged motivation is.
The outcome of police investigations into the threat reported by Rod Caddies.
Any further security measures for MPs and electorate staff in the wake of the Haines attack.

Sources

Man arrested after entering WA MP’s electorate office with ‘nunchucks’ · The Age - Latest News
Man arrested after entering WA MP’s electorate office with ‘nunchucks’ · WA Today - Latest News
Man arrested after entering WA MP’s electorate office with ‘nunchucks’ · Brisbane Times - Latest News
Man in custody after WA Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley’s electorate staff ‘threatened’ · 7NEWS
Man arrested after entering WA MP’s electorate office with ‘nunchucks’ · Sydney Morning Herald - Latest News

Checked

12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.

Show each claim

SupportedA man was arrested after entering Hannah Beazley’s electorate office with nunchucks, days after the Haines attack.The Age - Latest News: “Man arrested after entering WA MP’s electorate office with ‘nunchucks’”
Partly supportedThe summary quotes “confronting situation” without identifying Beazley as the speaker.The Age - Latest News: ““This afternoon, staff within my electorate office were faced with a confronting situation when a member of the public entered the office armed with a weapon,” she said.”
SupportedPolice received reports about a man with a weapon around 1.15pm after he entered the Victoria Park office.The Age - Latest News: “Police said they received reports about the man with the alleged weapon around 1.15pm this afternoon, after he entered Beazley’s Victoria Park office.”
SupportedThe arrested man was found nearby in Bentley, is helping police with inquiries and has not been charged.The Age - Latest News: “Police attended quickly and found the man nearby in Bentley, arresting him. He is currently helping police with their inquiries, and has not been charged.”
SupportedBeazley said her staff were shaken and upset, no one was injured, and her focus was their welfare.The Age - Latest News: ““I have spoken to my staff, who are understandably shaken and upset by what took place. Fortunately, no one was injured during the incident. “Right now, my focus is on the welfare of those staff members.””
SupportedHelen Haines was attacked outside her Wangaratta office on Monday by a man who allegedly hit her with a white Toyota four-wheel-drive.The Age - Latest News: “The incident comes just days after federal member for Indi Helen Haines was attacked outside her office in Wangaratta on Monday, after a man allegedly repeatedly hit her with a white Toyota four-wheel-drive.”
SupportedBrendan Nugent, 43, has been charged with dangerous driving causing injury, intentionally causing injury and a Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official.The Age - Latest News: “Brendan Nugent, 43, has been charged with dangerous driving causing injury, intentionally causing injury and a Commonwealth offence of causing harm to a Commonwealth public official on Tuesday evening.”
SupportedHaines’s husband announced on Wednesday that she had lost both legs following emergency surgery.The Age - Latest News: “Haines’ husband Phil announced on Wednesday his wife had lost both legs following emergency surgery.”
SupportedPolice alleged the Haines attack was targeted, but there was no confirmation it was politically motivated.The Age - Latest News: “Police alleged the incident was targeted, but there is no confirmation the attack was politically motivated.”
SupportedWA parliamentarians voiced concerns about a “decline in civil debate” following the Haines attack.The Age - Latest News: “The attack on Haines has caused WA parliamentarians to voice concerns about the “decline in civil debate” in the last week”
SupportedCaddies said a man yelled abuse and threatened to follow him home and kill him.The Age - Latest News: “Caddies did and said the man started yelling profanities at him and threatened to kill him. “I just said to him, ‘mate, there’s no need to get angry’ and he just kept yelling quite an amount of abuse, and said he was going to bash me and he was going to do different things, and then he said he’d follow me home,” he said.”
SupportedA WA Police spokeswoman said the force had established capabilities to assess and respond to threats against elected representatives.The Age - Latest News: ““WA Police has established capabilities to assess and respond to threats against elected representatives, and those arrangements remain in place,” she said.”