I’m Helen Haines, your Independent Federal Member for Indi.
I have called the North East home for the past 35 years, raising three children and running a beef cattle farm.
I worked as a nurse and midwife for decades, before moving to rural health research to find ways to improve our health and our futures. Caring is in my DNA.
I was elected in 2019, the first Independent to follow an Independent in Australian history.
As an Independent, I have reached across party lines to get answers, or called out bad decisions, no matter who made them. I work for you, not party bosses.
All my life I have listened and fought for the needs of the people around me. It’s what I do every day as your Independent Federal Member for Indi.
I listen.
I work.
I deliver.
What I'm Fighting For
Speak up on telecommunications
The Regional Telecommunications Review is held every three years to investigate equitable access to telecommunications services across regional, rural and remote Australia.
This Review is an opportunity for people across Indi to tell the federal government directly about the challenges they face because of poor phone and internet services.
I’ve helped secure a public consultation for the Review at Benalla Town Hall on May 3 from 10am until 11:30am.
I’m Delivering for Indi.
Since I was elected in 2019, Indi has won 40 per cent of all new mobile phone towers in Victoria under the federal Mobile Black Spot Program. That makes us the most successful in the state.
More than $80 million in bushfire recovery funding flowed to Indi, including $5.5 million for D&R Henderson and Ryan and McNulty timber mills in Benalla and $10,000 recovery grants for more than 1300 local small businesses.
I helped secure more than $6.8 million for local renewable energy projects.
More than $10 million has flowed to Indi for projects crucial to our economy, including $5.1 million for the Rutherglen Wine, Walk, Cycle Trail and $3.8 million for Mansfield Autism Statewide Services.
As an Independent, I vote for Indi, not for a party.
I always put Indi first. I also support debate. And I believe all MPs have a responsibility to bring constructive ideas to Parliament.
It is a privilege to represent the people of Indi in the Parliament, and I work hard to ensure our voices are represented every time I step into the chamber.
As an Independent, every vote is a conscience vote.
I review each bill on its individual merits in consultation with our communities to make sure the laws that are written in this nation work for us.