Independent member for Indi Helen Haines, 65, lost both her legs after allegedly being rammed by a four-wheel drive outside her electoral office in Wangaratta, northern Victoria, on Monday.
Dr Haines' husband, Phil Haines, confirmed his wife was critical but stable in a press conference on Wednesday alongside Governor-General Sam Mostyn, who has joined the chorus of pleas for Australians to dial down the temperature in political debate, particularly against women.
"Like any woman who has stepped up into any position across any part of our society, there is a unique and pernicious form of attack that comes our way," she told ABC News on Thursday.
"I was just saddened this morning to see some of the comments on my own Instagram page, in capitals with expletives, once again questioning the very nature of what it is that I do.
"There are certain things that are reserved for women in attacks that go to our gender, and they are often vicious and just despicable."
Ms Mostyn on Wednesday had revealed she was providing King Charles III regular updates on her friend Dr Haines, describing the situation as "shocking".
Holding a non-political office, she said she was uniquely capable of surveying the factors that might have led Australia to this point.
"As a nation, we pause and think about what are those new features that have crept into our system," she said.
"I think the long tail of Covid, of isolation, the increasing decision by many to isolate themselves and to only have curated sources of information, so fact is no longer agreed between us when we debate, all those things are a threat."
She reiterated calls for Australians to inject more respect into their discourse and was optimistic national debate would not descend to a level as vicious as in other places.
Her comments came shortly after a man was arrested in Perth over allegedly making verbal threats outside the electorate office of Western Australian state MP Hannah Beazley armed with home-made nunchucks.
The day before, independent MP Monique Ryan said she had referred "at least" two threats against her to federal police since the alleged attack on Ms Haines on Monday.
Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said the threats against women in power were not surprising.
"These stories of threats against their person aren't new - it's something we've been living with in an increasing rate for a couple of years now," she told Nine's Today.
"The women, particularly the younger women, the newer women to parliament, are feeling quite defiant, but they have been deeply shocked."
