A heroic barber has described how he dragged the man accused of deliberately driving into federal MP Helen Haines from his LandCruiser, kicked away a flick knife and pinned him to the ground.
Ricky Jefferies rushed to help after the politician was allegedly targeted outside his Wangaratta barber shop, next door to Haines's electorate office, on Monday afternoon.
Mr Jefferies pulled the driver from the vehicle and wrestled him to the ground.
'It happened directly out the front of my shop,' he said. 'I pulled the man out of the white Landcruiser.'
Mr Jefferies then found a flick knife in the man's pocket, kicked it away and restrained him until police arrived.
'When I pulled him out from the vehicle I searched him and found a knife in his pocket.
'I had him sit on the ground and police got there within minutes.'
Haines, 65, is fighting for her life after undergoing emergency surgery in Melbourne overnight, amid fears she could lose one of her legs.
The hero barber shop owner who pulled a driver from his car and restrained him after a targeted attack on federal MP Helen Haines has been identified as a local father-of-three Ricky Jefferies
Driver Brendan Nugent, pictured, in police custody
Helen Haines remains in a critical condition after being struck by a car outside her electorate office. She was airlifted to Melbourne and underwent surgery overnight, amid fears she could lose a leg
Jefferies was back at work the next day after confronting the man who attacked Helen Haines.
The independent MP for Indi was retrieving belongings from the boot of her car, parked on Murphy St, when she was repeatedly struck by the driver of a white 1997 Toyota LandCruiser.
Witnesses said the driver made a U-turn and smashed the vehicle into her.
'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.
The mother-of-three and grandmother was pinned by the four-wheel-drive and suffered 'severe' lower-body injuries.
She was initially treated at a local hospital before being airlifted about 250km to Melbourne.
Brendan Nugent, a 43-year-old man from Tarrawingee, near Wangaratta, was arrested at the scene and taken into custody.
No charges had been laid as of Tuesday morning, as counterterrorism authorities launched an investigation into the incident.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised Mr Jefferies on Tuesday, describing him as a hero whose intervention may have prevented further injuries.
Haines was allegedly struck by the Land Cruiser while unloading her car boot
Helen Haines was retrieving belongings from the boot of her car, parked on Murphy St, when she was deliberately struck by a white 1997 Toyota LandCruiser
Anthony Albanese said there had been a concerning rise in people threatening politicians
Helen Haines and husband Phil
'It's got to be said here that at this dark and terrible time, an element of light is the fact that a Good Samaritan, someone rushed to Helen's defence in Wangaratta … and that person is a hero today,' Albanese told Nine.
'And I just think that he deserves enormous praise and thanks for his intervention, which could have prevented even more further infliction of damage, which was aimed at Helen.'
Albanese said it was clear that it was a deliberate attack.
'It would appear that the driver of the vehicle that inflicted the damage to Helen Haines did a u-turn in order to get back to where Helen Haines was after passing where she was getting things from the boot or putting things into the boot of her car.
'So it's clear that there was a deliberate act here. This wasn't an accident, someone just skidding off the road here.'
Albanese said the motive for the deliberate attack remained unclear, but said there had been a significant increase in the number of people charged with threatening politicians.
'It's important in a democracy that people are allowed to have disagreements. But that doesn't mean that you have to draw into question people's motivations or their patriotism or who they are,' Albanese said.
'We've seen, I think, political discourse go in the wrong direction in recent times and I want us to acknowledge in the way that politics is conducted.'
A man wore a 'this is not us' shirt following the attack on Helen Haines
Another shared a heartwarming note at the door of the politicians office - along with a bunch of flowers
Haines is widely known in Canberra and nationally as a strong voice for integrity and honesty in politics.
She played a key role in establishing the National Anti-Corruption Commission and has been a prominent advocate for rural issues, especially healthcare.
Her other priorities have included stronger climate action, cheaper home batteries and regional housing.
She has urged Australia to impose sanctions on Israel and put greater pressure on the Netanyahu government to end the conflict, while calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and urgent humanitarian aid.
She worked as a nurse, midwife and rural health researcher before entering politics.
Haines' family released a statement, asking Australians to think of Helen.
'We thank the swift assistance of bystanders and the dedicated health workers who assisted her, and police for their response,' Haines' family said.
'Our family, and Helen's staff, will be making no further comment at this time, and ask that their privacy be respected by the public and media. Please keep Helen in your thoughts.'