Ambulance Victoria release details about Daniel Andrews’s fall

Ambulance Victoria provide details about the fall which resulted in Daniel Andrews fracturing his ribs and sustaining a compression fracture.

A social media image of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

Details about the fall which resulted in Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews fracturing his ribs and sustaining a compression fracture have been revealed by Ambulance Victoria.

It received a triple zero call at 6.36am on March 9 for a patient who had fallen down steps in Sorrento, located in the Mornington Peninsula about 120km south of Melbourne.

“Based on information provided during the call, the case did not require an immediate lights and sirens (life-threatening emergency response) and the call underwent secondary triage,” a statement read.

An ambulance was sent to the property and arrived at 7am.

“The patient was assessed by treating paramedics as having suspected fractured ribs, and pain relief was provided.”

Mr Andrews requested to attend a local hospital, according to the statement, and he was ultimately transferred to the Peninsula Private Hospital Emergency Department which is about a 45-minute drive north of Sorrento.

“The hospital was appropriate for further investigation and treatment of the patient based on presenting symptoms and condition.”

The details come after Victoria’s shadow treasurer Louise Staley called on the government to reveal more details about the incident.

Daniel Andrews at home in a photo posed to social media.

Andrews urged to open up

Mr Andrews has been urged by friends to publicly outline the progress of his recovery in the lead-up to his return to work by the end of this month.

The Victorian Premier’s long absence from work has sparked a series of false or unsubstantiated rumours about how his injuries happened. It is believed Mr Andrews is planning to address the community about his injuries but is unlikely to directly discuss Liberal Party attacks about where he was injured.

The rumours have escalated during the fourth lockdown, fuelled by the Liberal Party and disaffected business people.

Victoria’s state opposition on Monday ramped up their attacks against Mr Andrews, demanding more details about the circumstances which led him to take 91 days of sick leave, questioning how much he was being paid. 

Ms Staley said Mr Andrews owed Victorians answers to “simple questions” about his early March injury, when he suffered five broken ribs and a compression fracture on his T7 vertebra while with his family in the Mornington Peninsula. 

“Victorians need honesty and transparency from Daniel Andrews about the circumstances of his injury. Everyone is entitled to privacy about their health, but these questions are not about the nature of his injuries, only how he got those injuries,” she said.  “If there is no cover-up then there is no reason not to provide answers to these simple questions.”

Ms Staley has outraged Labor MPs with her statement, which appears to have been provoked by either wrong or unsubstantiated claims made against Mr Andrews.

Mr Andrews did not comment on Monday.

‘A disgraceful act by the Liberal Party’

Acting Premier James Merlino says the way Victorian Liberals have reacted to Mr Andrews’ fall spoke volumes about the party.

“This is more about how the Liberal Party treat people. No decency, no respect, they should be ashamed of themselves,” the Deputy Premier said. “I think it is a disgraceful act by the Liberal Party.”

Asked if Mr Andrews should have held a more active presence on social media while injured, Mr Merlino said he didn’t think it was necessary.

“No, I don’t accept any of that,” he said. “You can’t put to bed conspiracy nutters and if the Liberal Party want to act disgracefully, that is a matter for them.”

Asked if the Liberal party should offer an apology, Mr Merlino said, “yes, I do”.

Ms Staley said Mr Andrews should not continue to get paid for a “job he is not doing”, after she said he had pocketed $110,000 during his time off. 

She also said that the Premier’s office should reveal more ­details including the time of the incident, who owned the property at which it occurred, whether or not police were contacted, and if they conducted an interview with Mr Andrews.