Primary school teacher of alleged attacker accused of running down Helen Haines in a LandCruiser lashes out at reporters - as court hears of his unmedicated neurological condition: 'He was a great kid'

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles has renewed calls for greater respect in political debate as he leapt to the defence of his boss, Anthony Albanese, amid recent reports of a 'dirt file' on Helen Haines.

The independent MP for Indi lost a leg and remains in a critical condition after Brendan Nugent, 43, allegedly rammed her against her car with his Toyota LandCruiser, reversed, and drove into her a second time outside her office in Wangaratta, in north-east Victoria, on Monday afternoon.

In the wake of the alleged incident, which has shocked Australia, Prime Minister Albanese called for the political temperature to be lowered as he praised Haines' integrity and warned against unjustified attacks on politicians' motives.

The Daily Mail has since revealed that Albanese's office recently circulated a dirt sheet to journalists, baselessly raising questions about Haines' integrity after she criticised a $6 million government grant allocated to his local golf course in Marrickville, in Sydney's inner west.

Marles expressed admiration for his leader when he was questioned about the dirt file during an appearance on Channel Nine's Today show on Wednesday.

'I don't think it's about pointing fingers,' he said.

'I think what it is about is all of us taking responsibility for the way in which we engage in public discourse.

'I actually think the Prime Minister is a person who, in terms of how he engages in discourse, in terms of the public debate, does so with grace.

'It's one of the things I admire about Anthony Albanese, and I think anyone who looks at the way in which the Prime Minister goes about how he speaks on issues, speaks about his colleagues and speaks about politics.

'It is somebody who does so in a very sensible, considered and, I think, graceful way.'

Marles called on parliamentarians from all sides to follow Albanese's lead in turning down the political heat.

'We all need to embrace that and just understand that while there are our opponents, if you like, in politics, who in many ways are our colleagues as well, and have differing views, we all acknowledge the sincerity with which people come to their work to try and improve their communities,' he said.

'And that has to be the starting point in the way in which we engage in the public debate.'

Marles described Haines as a 'beacon of decency' and an embodiment of the robust but respectful debate expected of parliamentarians.

'Anyone who looks at Helen Haines knows that what she is, is a person who is just sincerely, each and every day, trying to represent her community and make life better for it,' he said.

'She has always been a picture of grace. So that this has happened to her, you know, is deeply upsetting and, as I say, my thoughts are very much with her and her family.'