Bob Hawke, former PM, out of Sydney hospital after fall

Former prime minister Bob Hawke has been released from a Sydney hospital after he hit his head in a fall.

Former Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke arrives to watch the Hon. Kim Beasley AC, be sworn into office as the new Governor of Western Australia at Government House in Perth, Tuesday, May 1, 2018. Picture: AAP

Former prime minister Bob Hawke has been released from hospital after hitting his head in a fall.

Mr Hawke was taken to Sydney’s Royal North Shore hos­pital on Monday evening for tests.

A hospital spokesman confirmed this afternoon that Mr Hawke was no longer a patient there.

His daughter Sue Pieters-Hawke told the Seven Network today that her 88-year-old father went by ambulance to hospital for tests, but was “fine”.

“He’s fine - no brain damage, no bleeds, no stroke, no nothing. Just a break and we’re arguing about whether the break is for him or Blanche (his wife),” Ms Pieters-Hawke said.

Mr Hawke’s wife, Blanche d’Alpuget, had earlier downplayed his hospitalisation, telling The Australian he was “well” and would be “out of hospital in no time”.

Ms d’Alpuget said her main concern was his ability to navigate their multi­storey property on Sydney’s lower North Shore, saying she would meet today with occupational therapists to try to accommodate Mr Hawke’s limited mobility, “because of all our stairs”.

Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen on Tuesday said Mr Hawke had been admitted to hospital for a “relatively minor incident” involving a case of “the wobbles”, which he said, “when you’re 88 is something which would concern you”.

A source close to the family said Mr Hawke was “fine and anxious to get home and back to his cigar and crosswords”.