The family of the man accused of running down independent MP Helen Haines with his car say they are devastated by what happened to their “friend of more than 20 years” Haines.

Locals and neighbours say Brendan Nugent’s family had become increasingly concerned about Brendan Nugent’s erratic behaviour in recent months.

His father Rod Nugent and partner Christine Cunningham, a health executive, said in a statement on Tuesday: “We will be assisting Victoria Police in any way we can.”

“We would like to sincerely thank members of the local community and police who came to Helen’s aid yesterday after the shocking and horrific crime,” they said.

“Helen Haines is a deeply respected, valued and much loved member of our local community.

“Helen has been our friend for more than 20 years and what happened to her yesterday is devastating and unfathomable.

“All of our love and all of our thoughts are with Helen and her family and friends.”

Cunningham, who has helped lead the Royal Children’s Hospital and Northeast Health, has been pictured with Haines.

Federal MP Helen Haines remains in critical condition following an intentional attack outside her office in Wangaratta.

Haines, the 65-year-old former nurse and midwife who helped change the face of Australian politics, is fighting for her life after being struck repeatedly by a two-tonne Toyota Land Cruiser on Murphy Street.

Haines was returning to her electorate office in Wangaratta after attending a sod-turning event in the nearby town of Mansfield on Monday afternoon when she was struck about 3.35pm.

In a town of 30,000 people 250 kilometres northeast of Melbourne, there has been an outpouring of shock, anger and pure disbelief.

Distressing new vision of Helen Haines’ attack shows a white Toyota LandCruiser reversing on Murphy Street as a bystander kneels to provide aid.

In a video obtained by Nine News, the LandCruiser can be seen reversing away from an orange car, identified as belonging to Haines, outside her office in Wangaratta.

A bystander can be seen lifting his hand as if to warn the LandCruiser not to approach again.

Two other bystanders can be seen rushing towards the point of impact before the video cuts out.

Emergency responders were advised to wait for police before approaching Helen Haines’ alleged attacker, a recording of the Triple Zero dispatch call reveals.

In audio obtained by The Age, an operator can be heard warning first responders not to approach the scene because an offender had a knife.

“For this event, you are not to approach the scene at this time. There is one offender on scene who does have a knife,” the operator can be heard saying.

“One vehicle has been rammed.

“One patient is currently located under the vehicle with a severed leg. A tourniquet has been applied. Police, ambulance, and rescue have been notified to attend.”

Liberal MP Jonathon Duniam said it would be a “bad outcome” if politicians were separated from people in their communities following yesterday’s attack.

There have been 1067 reports of harassing and threatening behaviour against high officeholders in 2025-26, up from 951 the financial year before.

The AFP will brief federal parliamentarians on their security arrangements after Monday’s attack against Haines, which Commissioner Krissy Barrett said appeared to be an isolated incident.

Duniam, who has plans to retire before the end of the year, said community meet and greets and street stalls were an important part of Australian politics.

“Being able to get out, being able to stop in at a pub and meet people, go to a bowls club, go to a market and not feel fear, I think is an important part of this [job],” he told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing.

“So I’m sad. I’m sad for Helen. I’m sad for her family that they’ve had this inflicted on them. But I’m sad for democracy that this is the kind of thing we’re seeing now come into our democratic discourse and activity.”

Fellow crossbench MP Zali Steggall said Helen Haines was among parliamentarians “raising the tone”, as the shocking attack that hospitalised the Indi MP prompts reflection on the temperature of political debate.

“It’s really hard to come to terms with, and we’re so deeply worried about Helen,” Steggall told Nine News this afternoon.

“It’s really confronting because obviously, we see the rise in hate and divisive rhetoric, and it can be concerning.”

Steggall and Haines both entered parliament in 2019 as independent MPs.

Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said a number of female parliamentarians have expressed concerns about their safety after yesterday’s “shocking” and “horrific” attack against Helen Haines.

“I’ve been talking with a lot of colleagues today and, yes, they are [scared] and I don’t think we should pretend otherwise,” Gallagher told ABC’s Afternoon Briefing.

“I think, again, the primary concern has been for Helen and her welfare and what happened in her hometown, but ... people can’t separate some of the pressure and the threats that they’ve been facing as individual MPs and bat that away.”

Last year, then-AFP commissioner Reece Kershaw flagged that the nature of threats against women MPs were of particular concern.

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The family of the man accused of running down independent MP Helen Haines with his car say they are devastated by what happened to their “friend of more than 20 years” Haines.

Locals and neighbours say Brendan Nugent’s family had become increasingly concerned about Brendan Nugent’s erratic behaviour in recent months.

His father Rod Nugent and partner Christine Cunningham, a health executive, said in a statement on Tuesday: “We will be assisting Victoria Police in any way we can.”

“We would like to sincerely thank members of the local community and police who came to Helen’s aid yesterday after the shocking and horrific crime,” they said.

Victorian MP Monique Ryan held back tears while speaking about Monday’s attack on her friend and independent colleague Helen Haines.

Speaking earlier, Ryan said Haines would not want anyone to “go down rabbit holes” or find social division as result of the tragedy.

Haines is continuing to receive medical treatment at Melbourne’s The Alfred after she lost a leg after being struck by a four-wheel drive near her office yesterday.

“I know what she [Haines] would do today. She would be calm, she would reach out to people within her community who need support,” Ryan told News24 on Tuesday.

Photos reveal a rural property linked to Brendan Nugent, the man arrested after a four-wheel-drive crashed into Helen Haines yesterday, is overgrown and strewn with clutter.

Police left earlier on Tuesday afternoon after searching the home on the Great Alpine Road in Tarrawingee, about 15 minutes outside Wangaratta.

Long grass surrounds the house at the end of a long driveway, along with an assortment of gardening tools and pot plants. A few empty beer bottles also litter the backyard.

National correspondent Rob Harris, who is reporting from Wangaratta, joined Samantha Selinger-Morris on The Morning Edition podcast today.

He said the attack on Helen Haines is a turning point for Australian politics.

“Obviously, we’ve seen in Britain over the past 10 years since the Brexit debate and [British MP] Jo Cox, her murder, the worsening of that situation,” he said.

“In America, we know how violence has been part of its political discourse for a long, long time. And it seems like it has come to Australia right now, and it’s a very scary moment for the country.”

Listen to the full episode below.