Tag Archives: oceania

Daniel Andrews stable, no immediate plans to operate

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews' recovery may take several weeks after he fractured his T7 vertebrae in a "nasty" fall.

Doctors at The Alfred Hospital trauma centre upgraded the Premier's condition to stable on Wednesday afternoon.

He is being treated for broken ribs and spinal damage after falling on wet stairs at a holiday home on the Mornington Peninsula.

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Daniel Andrews

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He is expected to remain in hospital for at least a few days, with no indication as to when he will return to work, but doctors say there is no immediate plan to operate.

Alfred ICU director Associate Professor Steve McGloughlin said Mr Andrews was "comfortable" and his pain was "well-controlled".

"A multidisciplinary team including intensive care, trauma and orthopaedic specialists has developed a treatment plan, together with the Andrews family, he said in a statement released late on Wednesday.

"Mr Andrews has sustained some serious injuries, and his condition is being monitored closely. At this stage there is no immediate plan for surgery."

Orthopedic spine surgeon John Cunningham said the kind of fracture the Premier suffered could be painful.

"It can cause pain, it can cause immobility and I would expect the pain to last if not three, maybe six months," Dr Cunningham said.

"These fractures can be really common and often caused by minor trauma, but the pain from them can persist for quite some time.

"Fortunately they don't all end up in paraplegia."

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Victorian Premier in intensive care

Dr Cunningham said he expected Mr Andrews to be limited in his movement for some time.

"I would expect him to find it uncomfortable for him to stand for long periods for at least another six weeks.He might be able to get back to his desk quite quickly though."

The Premier revealed yesterday he had slipped on the stairs as he was leaving for a media conference in Healesville to announce an inquiry into Indigenous reconciliation.

"A CT scan has revealed several broken ribs and vertebrae damage, and subsequent medical advice has recommended I remain in intensive care for the next few days," Mr Andrews said in a statement.

"Cath, the kids and I are extremely grateful to the Ambulance Victoria paramedics who showed such care and kindness to our family this morning, as we are to the clinicians who have taken care of me today.

"Our warm and sincere thanks go to the many family members, friends, colleagues and Victorians who have sent messages of love and support throughout the day."

The Premier has been overwhelmed with messages of support, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison among those to send him a get well text message.

"I haven't heard back from Dan but I imagine he's been a bit busy, but I wish him all the best (and) I hope he's very well," Mr Morrison said today.

"You know Dan and I get along very well."

Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O'Brien wished the premier a "speedy recovery" on Twitter, adding he hoped the premier's injuries were "not serious".

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https://twitter.com/michaelobrienmp/status/1369044487217901574

Health Minister Martin Foley said everyone had "accidents at home".

"We wish the Premier a speedy recovery and I'm sure it's not that serious," Mr Foley said.

Deputy Premier James Merlino will serve as acting premier while Mr Andrews recovers.

Mr Merlino yesterday said the Premier was "fine" and undergoing X-rays.

"No head injuries, he's fine and he will be back on his feet shortly," he said.

Mr Andrews asked for his privacy to be respected.

He will provide an update on his injuries later this week.

How to get your half-price flight, and every route being discounted

Hundreds of thousands of heavily discounted airfares will soon be up for grabs as the federal government foots half the bill to encourage Aussies to holiday domestically in tourist spots struggling without international visitors.

The government on Wednesday night announced the plan to try to juice the tourism sector with a $1.2 billion package.

From sunny Cairns — the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest and some of Queensland's most spectacular hikes — south to rural Tasmania's mix of natural beauty and culinary hedonism, there are 13 regions on offer.

Other destinations covered by the $1.2 billion tourism recovery package include the Whitsundays, the Gold Coast, South Australia's Kangaroo Island, Uluru and access to Victoria's Great Ocean Road and the NSW south coast.

FULL LIST OF FLIGHT ROUTES BELOW

Whitsundays

There are expected to be about 46,000 half-price tickets available per week, up to a total of 800,000 cheap airfares.

How do I buy a discounted fight?

According to the government, all you have to do is visit your chosen airline's website from April 1 to take advantage.

Qantas, Virgin and Jetstar are expected to be the main airlines operating the routes but smaller carriers are also expected to get involved.

To qualify for the discount, the carrier must have already flown that route in the previous two years.

Discounted flight routes

The government warns these may change depending on airline negotiations and demand:

Gold Coast (Queensland)

  • Adelaide – Gold Coast
  • Melbourne – Gold Coast
  • Sydney – Gold Coast
  • Canberra – Gold Coast
  • Avalon – Gold Coast

Tropical North Queensland (Queensland)

  • Melbourne – Cairns
  • Sydney – Cairns
  • Darwin – Cairns

Whitsundays and Mackay region (Queensland)

  • Sydney – Proserpine
  • Sydney – Hamilton Island
  • Sunshine Coast (Queensland)
  • Sydney – Maroochydore
  • Melbourne – Maroochydore
  • Adelaide – Maroochydore

Lasseter and Alice Springs (Northern Territory)

  • Adelaide – Alice Springs
  • Sydney – Uluru
  • Brisbane – Alice Springs
  • Melbourne – Alice Springs
  • Perth – Alice Springs
  • Sydney – Alice Springs
  • Brisbane – Uluru
  • Melbourne – Uluru

Launceston, Devonport and Burnie (Tasmania)

  • Melbourne – Launceston
  • Sydney – Launceston
  • Brisbane – Launceston
  • Melbourne – Devonport
  • Melbourne – Burnie

Broome (Western Australia)

  • Darwin – Broome
  • Sydney – Broome
  • Melbourne – Broome

Avalon (Victoria)

  • Gold Coast – Avalon
  • Sydney – Avalon

Merimbula (New South Wales)

  • Melbourne – Merimbula

Kangaroo Island (South Australia)

  • Adelaide – Kingscote