Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
National

Scott Morrison says he will act as health minister but Greg Hunt will return to work next week

Greg Hunt is being treated in hospital for an infection.(

ABC News: Matt Roberts

)

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says Health Minister Greg Hunt will be back at work when Parliament sits next week, after a brief hospital stint for a bacterial infection.

Mr Hunt was admitted to hospital yesterday with a suspected infection.

In a statement today his office said testing overnight had led to a diagnosis of Cellulitis, a bacterial infection in his leg.

It said the Minister was improving and was expected to be discharged from hospital "in the coming days".

"He'll be fine by next week, he'll be back up on his feet," Mr Morrison said.

"Minister Hunt and I have worked hand in glove over this last year and until he returns I will be personally addressing the ministerial responsibilities on health and aged care."

The Prime Minister said he had total confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine. Mr Hunt's office said his condition "is not considered to be related to the vaccine".

He is expected to make a full recovery.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says he will cover Mr Hunt's ministerial responsibilities.(

ABC News: Ian Cutmore

)

Fellow Cabinet minister Dan Tehan said he spoke to the Health Minister yesterday and that Mr Hunt was confident he would be out of hospital "sooner rather than later".

"I don't think there is a fitter or more active member than Greg," Mr Tehan said.

"So if there's anyone who can bounce back it will be Greg, but when I spoke to him yesterday he was going well."

Mr Hunt is the third senior Cabinet minister now on sick leave, with Attorney-General Christian Porter and Defence Minister Linda Reynolds also currently on leave.

Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne is acting Defence Minister and Employment Minister Michaelia Cash is filling in for Mr Porter.

The next Parliament fortnight kicks off next week.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.