Melbourne: Police on Tuesday charged a driver with intentionally causing serious injury to an Australian federal lawmaker who is in critical condition after being struck by a car.

A police statement said Brendan Nugent was charged with intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official.

Helen Haines, a 65-year-old independent politician, was in hospital in a critical but stable condition after being struck by a car outside her office in Wangaratta, in the state of Victoria, on Monday, police said.