Driver allegedly rammed Australian MP, reversed, hit her again

The man arrested over an attack on federal MP Dr Helen Haines allegedly made a U-turn in a four-wheel drive before striking her, reversing and then hitting her a second time.

Haines, 65, was outside her electorate office in Wangaratta, in Victoria's north, when she was struck by the vehicle and sustained critical injuries, at about 3.35pm on Monday afternoon.

The independent member for Indi was airlifted to a hospital in Melbourne, where she underwent surgery overnight, but remains in critical condition.

"What witnesses have described is the driver doing a U-turn to get into the car park and to ram Helen against a vehicle, then to reverse and do it a second time," Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

"A bystander ran towards the scene, got the driver out of the vehicle and held the driver until police arrived."

"She remains in a critical condition – I think all Australians will be thinking of her today, and her local community, particularly, will be quite distraught," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Nine's Today on Tuesday.

A 43-year-old man is in custody in connection with the alleged attack, which is also being investigated by counterterrorism authorities

Albanese said on Tuesday that Haines was retrieving something from the boot of her car when the car involved in the attack – a Toyota Landcruiser – made a U-turn before veering off the road and hitting her.

"This wasn't something with a car just going off the off the road, this is something that is very clear was aimed at causing harm to Helen Haines," Albanese told News24.

A knife was seized from inside the vehicle after a bystander performed a citizen's arrest, which Albanese said offered a ray of hope amid the horrific event.

"At this dark and terrible time, a element of light is the fact that a good Samaritan, someone rushed to Helen's defence ... put themselves potentially at risk by doing so, and that person is a hero today," he said.

"At the worst of times, we do see the best of the Australian character, and when it comes to the Australian character, there's no one better than Helen Haines."

The incident is being investigated by Victoria Police's counterterrorism taskforce in conjunction with spy agency ASIO and the Australian Federal Police, with the prime minister saying he will be briefed later today.

Authorities are yet to determine a motive for the attack or establish whether the suspect, from the nearby town of Tarrawingee, is known to Haines.

The prime minister also urged "online sleuths" not to interject debate with unconfirmed rumours while law enforcement did their work.

"What we need is more facts and less speculation at a time like this," he said.

Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Ashley Mason thanked members of the community who had stepped in to help.

"This would have been a tragic, horrific incident for people to witness," Mason said.

"But I just thank those that were nearby and those that were involved and assisted in detaining the male, and then also provided any assistance to the injured female."

The attack has been condemned by MPs and senators from across the political spectrum.

It was a shocking day for the nation, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said.

"No one should be targeted in this way," he said in a statement.

"Our nation cannot become a place where violent attacks are normalised."

Zali Steggall, who sits next to Haines in the House of Representatives, said she was shocked and devastated.

"I have worked with Helen since 2019 ... she is a wonderful, caring, smart and wise friend and amazing representative for her community," she said in a statement.

"I am thinking of Helen and her wonderful family."

Threats and incidents against federal parliamentarians had increased year on year, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said.

"The year before last, we had 951 reports of harassing and threatening behaviour against various high office holders," Burke told reporters in Sydney.

"The more recent financial year, that 951 has gone to 1067."

Haines represented the best of the nation, crossbench colleague and frequent collaborator David Pocock said.

"Helen represents so much of the values we share as Australians," Senator Pocock said in a post to social media.

"At a moment like this we should turn to them more than ever and be sure to take care of one another."

Greens leader David Shoebridge, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, Victorian Premier Ben Carroll and state Liberal counterpart Jess Wilson were among many others wishing Haines a full recovery.

Haines has represented the regional seat of Indi as an independent since 2019, coming to prominence on her platform of political transparency and integrity.

Her family thanked bystanders and emergency workers who had assisted "our beloved Helen".

"Please keep Helen in your thoughts," they said in a statement.

Following the attack, several high-profile female politicians warned threats of serious violence are becoming increasingly common.

"The threats of violence have gone through the roof in the time I've been there," Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek, who entered parliament in 1998, said.

"Rape and death threats are regular."

In the last year, reports of harassment towards Australian politicians rose from 951 to 1067.

Attacks on electorate offices have also grown.

Plibersek and her colleagues, including independent MPs Dr Sophie Scamps and Dr Monique Ryan, spoke with emotion as they recounted the popularity of the regional Victorian MP.

All of them stressed the importance of politicians staying accessible to the public, even as poor treatment towards them rose.

"This is the worst possible thing to happen to the best possible person in the world," Ryan told ABC Radio.

"Helen is extraordinary and I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it."

Scamps, who called Haines a "strong advocate for democracy", said it was an attack on the core of Australian politics.

"There's times during pre-election or the election campaigns where I think hatred and division is stoked purposefully, and I've had people being incredibly aggressive to me," the northern Sydney MP said.

"I really hope that we don't, you know, feel unsafe in our communities."

Haines was praised by the Centre for Public Integrity, with which she has worked closely.

"She is passionate, principled, intelligent, warm and down to earth," the centre said in a statement.

"We are shocked by the increasingly hostile environment in which Australian parliamentarians are working.

"Our democracy depends on people being willing and able to serve their communities, engage openly with the public and advocate for what they believe in, without fear for their personal safety."

The sentiment was echoed by Climate200, the Simon Holmes a Court-led organisation that backed Dr Haines and other independents in the last two elections.

"There is no place for violence in politics," the organisation said.