Senator Derryn Hinch suffers brain trauma after nasty fall in Melbourne

SENATOR Derryn Hinch says he will continue to enjoy his red wine a couple of times a week despite Monday night’s tumble from an Uber.

SENATOR Derryn Hinch says he will continue to enjoy his red wine a couple of times a week despite Monday night’s tumble from an Uber.

Mr Hinch said he does not remember being knocked unconscious after the fall onto St Kilda Road but denied the “two glasses of watered down sav blanc” had anything to do with the episode which landed him in The Alfred hospital with brain trauma.

“Was I pissed? No,” he said.

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The ‘Human Headline’ said he while he was appreciative to the family of his liver donor he “had to live his life”.

“Until I’m lying on a slab for the last time, I’m here to live my life to the best I can,” Mr Hinch said.

“If I feel like having a glass of wine, yes I will,” he said.

Derryn Hinch during his Melbourne press conferencePicture: AAP/Alex Murray

The 74-year-old said he had received the all-clear from his doctor and only has a “couple of glasses of wine, a couple of times a week”.

The senator said he “loves being a politician” and the hospital visit had not prevented him from travelling to Canberra for work on Tuesday.

Mr Hinch said he yesterday called his Uber driver to thank him.

He said he will undergo further tests and will be fitted with a heart monitor later this morning.

There were initial concerns his heart may have contributed to his collapse.

The former shock jock was knocked unconscious from the fall, with doctors keeping him in for observation overnight.

“I’d had two glasses of wine at dinner — I hadn’t overindulged. But it’s the obvious question ... I don’t blame people for thinking that,” he said.

Senator Hinch — who swore off the booze for life seven years ago after his six-bottle-a-day habit ­destroyed his liver — said a past knee injury contributed to the fall.

Derryn Hinch says a past knee injury contributed to the fall. Picture: David Caird

A stunned witness told the Herald Sun he saw a man lying on the ground near the intersection with Toorak Rd about 11.30pm.

“I just saw someone lying there and went to see what was happening, the Uber driver was taking forever to call an ambulance so we did,” The witness said.

“He was out for a few minutes but he started to wake up as the paramedics arrived and we helped them get him on to a stretcher. He didn’t have any obvious injury but he was pretty confused about what was happening.”

Senator Hinch said he’d “come a cropper” outside his apartment after stumbling on a “dodgy” knee when getting out of the Uber.

“I’m OK but I’m booked in to have some tests. I was hooked up to a heart machine but I’ll have some more tests on my blood pressure,” he said.

“It has nothing to do with the liver ... to tell you the truth I think I was just tired and I’d been up since early for breakfast TV.”

Senator Hinch thanked his Uber driver and passers-by for coming to his aid calling an ambulance. He was diagnosed with “minor brain trauma” from the fall but it had not broken the skin.

He flew to Canberra on Wednesday to attend an event at the Australian War Memorial and said he would be “fighting fit” to return to parliament later this month.

I fell and was knocked unconscious.I anticipated the expected boozy scepticism. I must wear my pisspot past. Thanks to the staff at the Alfred for my tests and future tests. I'm feeling fine.

— Derryn Hinch (@HumanHeadline) March 14, 2018

Elected to the senate at 72 — the oldest person in Australian history — the Victorian was last year influential in convincing the Turnbull Government to strip passports of convicted child sex offenders.

The former TV and radio journalist received a transplant liver in 2011 following the death of his 27-year-old donor Heath Gardner.

In a 2008 speech he said: “I don’t drink now, never will again. If I get a titanium liver, I still won’t drink again.”

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