By Duncan Murray, Lucinda Garbutt-Young and Nick Wilson

An independent MP’s staff say they have been overwhelmed by the kindness of Australians as they prepare to reopen her electorate office near where she was allegedly attacked.

Helen Haines remains in a critical condition, having had both legs amputated after being struck by a car in Wangaratta, in Victoria’s northeast, on Monday.

Brendan Nugent, 43, is accused of deliberately driving into the 65-year-old federal member for Indi outside her electorate office on Murphy Street.

On Friday, her team expressed gratitude for the kindness shown in the local community and across the world.

“What happened on Monday has deeply affected Helen’s family and all of her staff,” they wrote in a post to Instagram, alongside an image of floral tributes to Dr Haines.

“Many of us witnessed the incident and some were among the first to come to her aid.”

Her staff hope to reopen electorate offices in Wangaratta and Wodonga on Thursday, adding however that healing would take time.

“As Helen takes the time she needs to recover, we will take time to look after ourselves and one another, too,” the post reads.

Save the Children Australia has raised more than $730,000 since Dr Haines’ husband Phil directed people to donate in her honour.

The incident has sent shockwaves across the country, prompting a debate over whether MPs are sufficiently protected from risks to their safety.

In the days since, the nation’s police forces, Home Affairs department and state leaders have rushed to crack down on security and offer briefings. It comes against a broader backdrop of threats to politicians.

Federal Communications Minister Anika Wells shut her office after an incident on Wednesday.

“Unfortunately, I’ve been advised we need to close the office temporarily while security improvements are made,” Ms Wells said in a statement on Friday.

“Our staff deserve to feel safe at work and this kind of behaviour is unacceptable.”

Queensland Police charged a 47-year-old Nundah woman with public nuisance over the incident.

A man was also charged in Western Australia this week for allegedly making threats and wielding nunchucks in the electorate office of state Labor MP Hannah Beazley.

Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen urged members of the public to leave politicians alone, regardless of which party they belonged to.

“Every Australian in politics is doing a job … No one deserves violence,” he told News24.

In NSW, some parliamentarians who attended a state police-run briefing said they were left with broader concerns about their safety and felt examples given were politicised.

They were told to monitor their surroundings closely and alert NSW Police to their movements.

An app for a beacon to alert police of safety concerns was also encouraged.

A series of images of public protests – including a March for Australia rally, a pro-Palestine march against the Sydney Harbour Bridge and an image of children at a climate protest – were reportedly shown as examples of situations where MPs could be unsafe.

Victorian politicians also received a security briefing. A second briefing for those unable to attend will occur on Friday night.

Victorian Greens Leader Ellen Sandell called on Premier Ben Carroll to put together a memorandum of understanding between all political parties before the state election next month.

“We should all be setting the example and a higher standard when it comes to political discourse and campaigning,” she said in a statement.

Federal parliamentarians have also been briefed on keeping themselves and their staff safe.

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