Brendan Nugent’s family say Helen Haines has been their friend for more than 20 years

Key points

• Police have arrested a 43-year-old Tarrawingee man over an alleged attack on independent MP Helen Haines in Wangaratta. Haines remained in a critical condition on Tuesday after being airlifted to Melbourne's Alfred hospital for emergency surgery.
• She has lost one leg, and surgeons are working to save the other. The man's father, Rod Nugent, said the family would assist Victoria Police and described the family's long friendship with Haines.
• Local residents and former environmental campaigners have described the man as a longtime forestry campaigner whose behaviour had concerned some people for years.