Former prime minister Bob Hawke hospitalised

Former Australian prime minister Bob Hawke has been rushed to hospital overnight.

The 88-year-old, who was the Labor leader of Australia between 1983 and 1991, was admitted to the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney on Monday. According to numerous reports, he underwent treatment, although his condition isn’t yet known.

Earlier reports implied the former PM suffered a stroke, but the ABC has this morning reported that isn’t the case. A spokesperson for Hawke also explained he wasn’t in hospital with pneumonia.

According to The Australian, Hawke has been unwell for some time, with his illness said to be serious, although the ABC has reported he was just in hospital for “some minor tests” and that he was doing “fine”.

It’s not the first time in recent months that the former politician has made headlines with his health. Last November in an interview with the Weekend Australia magazine, Hawke revealed he was very close to death in 2017 with a mystery illness. While he didn’t disclose what it was, he said it nearly killed him.

Read more: ‘I was very crook’: Former PM Bob Hawke reveals near-death experience

“Yeah, I was very crook,” he said at the time. “They tell me I could have been on the way.”

It would be a very sad day in Australia, given that Hawke remains one of the most popular prime ministers to date. His wife, Blanche d’Alpuget, also spoke about nearly losing her husband in the interview. “He was just so close to death,” she said. “It was awful.”

During his time as Australia’s prime minister from 1983 to 1991, Hawke received the highest-ever approval rating at 75 per cent. Kevin Rudd is the only other PM in recent times who has come close to achieving the same status. Hawke famously set a world record for drinking a yard of beer during his studies back in 1955, and even went as far as suggesting that this contributed to his political success more than anything else he had ever done.

People have taken to Twitter to wish Hawke a speedy recovery.

One person jokingly said: “Anybody who doesn’t wish Bob Hawke a speedy recovery is a bum”.

Breaking #SkyNews reporting Bob Hawke has been suddenly taken to hospital. Hope he is ok. A very fine man, and great Australian.

— Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) May 7, 2018

Another tweet read: “Wishing Bob Hawke a speedy recovery. You’re the only political hero we’ve got left mate, please get better”.

https://twitter.com/AUS_politics_/status/993466391700299776

A third message added: “Such a horrible situation for anyone to be in. Thinking of Bob Hawke and his family tonight”.

TV personality Peter FitzSimons also wished the former PM well. He wrote: “Breaking #SkyNews reporting Bob Hawke has been suddenly taken to hospital. Hope he is ok. A very fine man, and great Australian”.

Do you have a message for Bob Hawke?