Man and boy arrested after allegedly attacking One Nation volunteer with baseball bat in Australia

What the report says

Two people have been arrested after a volunteer for Australia’s right-wing populist One Nation party was allegedly attacked with a baseball bat outside the volunteer’s home in Torquay, south-west of Melbourne, according to BBC World News. Police said a 37-year-old man was charged with assault offences and remanded in custody, while a 14-year-old boy was given a caution. The volunteer was taken to hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

The BBC reported that the incident took place on Sunday night and that One Nation’s Victorian leader, Warren Pickering, said it followed the pair allegedly interfering with election signs on the volunteer’s property. Pickering condemned the attack as unacceptable, while Victoria’s premier, Ben Carroll, also described it as shocking and said volunteers should not face violence because of their political views.

The case comes during Victoria’s state election campaign and against a broader national debate about the tone of political discussion in Australia. BBC World News said the incident has added to concerns about political intimidation, following an earlier attack on federal MP Helen Haines last month. Police have not publicly set out a motive for the Torquay arrest case, and the wider concern, as reported by the BBC, is that increasingly heated debate may be contributing to a more hostile climate for political activity.