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Left-wing activist Hannah Ferguson has been grilled by 2GB host James Willis after appearing to contradict herself on political violence after the alleged targeted attack on independent MP Helen Haines this week.
Last year, in the wake of the assassination of right-wing US activist Charlie Kirk, the Australian influencer, 28, questioned whether violence was ‘sometimes necessary’.
However, Ferguson’s recent comments appeared at odds with those remarks after Haines was allegedly attacked outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, in Victoria’s north, on Monday afternoon.
Haines, who is the MP for Indi in Victoria, has had one leg amputated as doctors try to save the other. She remains in a critical condition in hospital.
Speaking on Seven’s Sunrise on Tuesday, Ferguson urged the importance of ‘healthy debate and respectful discourse’.
‘I think when we’re talking about turning the temperature down, I think healthy debate and respectful discourse is a big part of that, but I also want to point out that Helen Haines was not someone who engaged in unhealthy debate,’ she said.
‘Yes, there is unhealthy discourse on social media, but when we see a woman like I think it speaks to a broader issue of male violence against women in Australia as well.’
Willis suggested these comments contrasted with a post she shared on Substack and Instagram in the hours after Kirk was shot dead in September 2025.
At the time, Ferguson wrote: ‘Must we condemn every act of political violence? Should violent views be met with violence? … While these important questions are asked, the right is mobilising to make a martyr of Kirk.’
‘Am I glad Charlie Kirk will no longer spread his extremist messaging? Yes. Am I happy that someone shot him in the neck in broad daylight? No. Do I believe he empowered the violence that ended his life? Yes. Do I believe he caused more harm than good? Yes. Is violence sometimes necessary? Yes.’
Speaking to Ferguson on his 2GB Drive show on Tuesday, Willis said he interpreted her post as ‘you almost celebrating the death of Charlie Kirk’.
‘In hindsight, people have highlighted rightly that there is a huge contradiction in you coming out now and saying “what’s happened to Helen Haines is appalling, social media is driving this” and after a bloke is shot dead you’re saying online you’re glad he will no longer be spreading his extremist messaging and “is violence sometimes necessary, yes”,’ he said.
‘I mean look if you want to take on the PM one day and run for public office this is not the kind of thing you’d surely put out again.’
Ferguson defended herself and said: ‘I think that there’s something to be said for the difference between Charlie Kirk who was a person in public life who spent his days literally creating commercial business off of profiting from the incitement of violence versus Helen Haines who is a community leader.’
‘I’m saying that violence throughout history on occasion has been necessary to fight wars and fight oppressive groups,’ she responded.
‘I don’t support any political violence… I said in the piece I did not support or condone or celebrate in any capacity.’
Earlier this year, Ferguson announced she would be contesting for the lower house seat of Grayndler, in the inner-west of Sydney, as an independent.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has held the electorate since 1996 and Grayndler has been a Labor stronghold since it was formed in 1949.
At the 2025 election, Albanese won 66 per cent of votes.
Announcing her candidacy in June, Ferguson wrote online: ‘I believe we deserve better representation.’
‘I’m not here to play politics, that is just another reason Australians are fed up with the political party machinery.’
Ferguson has previously outlined her priorities for the seat, describing what she calls the ‘three Gs’, gas, gambling and Gaza.
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