Helen Haines, the Australian MP struck by a car outside her constituency office in an alleged attack on Monday, has had her second leg amputated, her husband has announced.

Addressing the media, Phil Haines said: “Helen is alive and she’s stable”.

“That is the most important thing for our family.”

The surgeons on Monday had amputated her left leg and were hoping to save the right leg. Ms Haines, 65, remains in a critical but stable condition after being struck by a Toyota Land Cruiser SUV outside her electoral district office in Wangaratta in Victoria.

Suspect identified as Brendan Nugent, 43, faces three charges over the alleged attack on the Independent MP, as police consider bringing additional charges against him.

Providing an update to the media on behalf of their family, Mr Haines said her road to “recovery will be long and difficult, but we know she is fighter.”

“She is a determined person who will do her best with our support and love to recover. And that is what we hope for.”

“Her heart is huge. She is a very compassionate, caring, loving person, incredibly supportive of all around her; her family, her community, anybody she comes across and her mind.

“We are grateful and thankful that, at this stage, both her heart and her mind are in good shape.”

He said that the couple will celebrate their 40th anniversary in November and in the last four months, they together welcomed four grandchildren.

Thanking the support extended to him, he paid his tribute to all the first responders, including police, paramedics, and the members of the community.

“One thing I’ve learned in the last two days, reinforced by many people, is to take things day by day. I know it’s a cliche, but it’s a cliche for a very good reason.

“So I thank you all for being here. I thank you for listening. And please keep sending Helen your love and our family as well.”

Governor-general Sam Mostyn who appeared alongside him, said that she was “touched” to receive Mr Haines invited to appear with him, while expressing gratitude towards the first responders.

She said that Ms Haines recovery would be taken “day by day” after what she described as Monday’s “violent attack”.

She called on Australians to “do what I imagine Helen would be doing if she was not the victim of this terrible attack” and to “not descend into violence and chaos and division”.

“Most importantly, that we learn or relearn to exercise our muscle of decency.

“And what I see and I saw with everything that Helen has done across Indi and well beyond is communities around Australia where Australians are yearning for kindness and care. And they’re asking us why we’ve lost the great skill of disagreeing well and with decency to each other.”