Malcolm Turnbull doing his best to help Labor win next election: Bob Hawke

Malcolm Turnbull is ‘doing his very best’ to ensure a Labor victory at the next election, former PM Bob Hawke says.

Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke leaves the Langham Hotel in Melbourne. Picture: Mark Stewart

Malcolm Turnbull is “doing his very best” to ensure a Labor victory at the next election, a wheelchair-bound Bob Hawke said today.

The former Prime Minister was in Melbourne after attending a party, but rumours he would be the guest of honour at Victorian Labor’s state conference were labelled “fake news.”

Mr Hawke had a fall at his Sydney home early this month and has been in and out of hospital.

The 88-year-old Mr Hawke, who won four straight federal elections for the ALP from 1983 to 1990, said his party was well positioned to get back into government.

“Turnbull’s doing his best to see that we win,” Mr Hawke told Nine News Melbourne today outside the Langham Hotel.

There had been suggestions Mr Hawke was in Melbourne to attend this weekend’s state Labor conference, where Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews will speak on Saturday and opposition leader Bill Shorten on Sunday.

“No, that’s fake news,” Mr Hawke’s wife Blanche d’Alpuget said. “We were here for a party and we’re going back to Sydney.”

On May 7, Hawke slipped in his Sydney home. He did not fall unconscious but had to go through three weeks of rehabilitation.

“I have been better ... I will just keep going,” he said.

“It’s a pretty upside-down world at the moment, you just have to keep trying your best.”