Colin Pearse, a retired obstetrician who worked with Haines for about 14 years, placed an orange cockatoo on his fence as a show of support. “I still call her Matron,” he said. “She loves it.” The orange cockatoo, derived from Haines’ newsletter and campaign colour, has become a community symbol. Jamie Chubb, another local who put up a cockatoo, said: “We’re just showing our support for Helen.” Julie Davey, visibly emotional, described Haines as “a terrific person” who “listens … is thoughtful … and remembers things.”
Haines’ husband of almost four decades, Phil Haines, told media on Wednesday that she remained in a critical but stable condition, and that due to the severity of her injuries both her legs had been amputated. “Her heart and her mind are in good shape … the good news in all this is that she’s alive,” he said, urging donations to Save the Children. Within 24 hours, nearly $400,000 was raised.
A vigil in Wodonga on Wednesday evening drew hundreds. Cathy McGowan, Haines’ predecessor, told the crowd: “That this happened in our town, [allegedly] by one of our community members, to one of us. In the attack on Helen, it is an attack on all of us.” Rutherglen resident Rod Sutcliffe said the community was “trying to make sense of it” and expressed concerns about “radicalisation and the impact of social media … It’s a wake-up call.”
Nugent did not apply for bail. His lawyer said he suffers from idiopathic transverse myelitis, a rare neurological condition. He is scheduled to reappear in court in February.