Federal opposition leader Anthony Albanese has been discharged from hospital after being injured in a car crash.
The 57-year-old Labor leader exited Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Saturday afternoon telling reporters that he had been injured externally and internally and suffered considerable shock in the immediate aftermath of the impact.
“If this accident was 10 years ago, I wouldn’t be speaking to you here,” he said, referring to advances in technology.
Mr Albanese’s car was allegedly “T-boned” by a 17-year-old driver in a Range Rover on Hill Street in Marrickville on Friday afternoon when he was on his way home from his electorate office.
“I hope that this experience leads this young man to commit to becoming one of the safest drivers that Australia has ever seen,” he said.
He noted that the young driver apologised to him at the time of the crash.
The Labor leader was kept overnight in hospital on Friday and will need ongoing medical support as an outpatient.
“We all hoped, I think, that 2021 would be better than 2020,” he said.
“I was always very confident that I could deal with any of the challenges that 2021 threw up. After yesterday I’m not just confident, I’m absolutely certain of that.”
Mr Albanese praised hospital staff for their care and remarked that Australia had the best healthcare system in the world.
“Whether you’re the richest Australian or a pensioner you get the same level of care,” he said.
He gave a “shout out” to an off-duty nurse who assisted him immediately after the crash.
The 17-year-old driver from Beverly Hills was not hurt in the incident, but has been handed a ticket for negligent driving.
With SBS News.
