MP Chris Hayes, who is progressively returning to work after he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident on his way to a meeting in Parliament House on Sunday, February 26, has sworn off two wheels.
The Fowler MP suffered several injuries, including broken ribs, a fractured arm and internal injuries.
He spent 15 days in Canberra Hospital, six of which were in the Intensive Care Unit.
Although it has only been a short time since the accident, it won’t be long before Hayes, 61, is back working full time.
“Thank you to my wife, Bernadette, my family, my staff, and to all those who have taken the time to send their best wishes, it really means a lot to me,” the MP said this week.
“While I won’t be getting back on a motorbike, I will continue to stay involved in the various motorcycle safety campaigns, in particular the Police Wall to Wall Ride – although my vehicle of choice will have four wheels, not two,” he said.
Mr Hayes has praised the actions of Senior Constable Mark Smith of the Queanbeyan Highway Patrol, who was in the immediate vicinity at the time of his accident.
“I consider myself very lucky that Senior Constable Smith was there, he certainly made a difference to the outcome of my accident,’’ Mr Hayes said.
“After calling an ambulance, he laid on the road beside me and continued talking to me to ensure I didn’t pass out.”
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“Obviously I was in shock and couldn’t remember the security code of my mobile phone, but Senior Constable Smith kept me calm and built my confidence and eventually I remembered the code so he was able to contact my family.”[/social_quote]
“Senior Constable Mark Smith also visited me several times during my stay in hospital and I will forever be grateful to him for his caring nature,” Chris said.
In the meantime it’s business as usual in his Fowler electorate office, with Mr Hayes and his staff continuing to provide assistance on government related issues.
