Revered Nationals leader and former deputy prime minister Tim Fischer, who has fought cancer for 10 years, is gravely ill in hospital in Albury, the Australian reports.

Fischer, 73, has been battling acute leukaemia and cancer generally for 10 years. He is currently being treated at the Albury Wodonga Cancer Centre.

Sad to hear former Nationals leader and Deputy PM Tim Fischer is gravely ill in Albury Hospital. Tim served in the Australian Army in the Vietnam War & had a distinguished Parliamentary career. Thoughts are with his loved ones at this difficult time: deeply loved & respected man. pic.twitter.com/ljQDNl1HwE — Darren Chester MP (@DarrenChesterMP) August 20, 2019

In May, when he opened a museum dedicated to his life at his birthplace of Lockhart, near Wagga Wagga, he revealed he was hoping for a remission.

“Almost in remission, not quite. I am just uplifted by this nice gallery,” he said at the time.

Fischer told the ABC’s Australian Story program last year he attributed his cancer battles to his exposure to the chemical Agent Orange during his time fighting in the Vietnam war.

“I had operations in First Battalion Royal Australian Regiment. Agent Orange was widely used in part, but not all of the operational area,” he told the ABC.

“At least one specialist has suggested my immunity broke down a lot more quickly as a direct consequence.”

Fischer, who first became an MP at the age of 24, was National leader from 1990 to 1999 and deputy prime minister in the Howard government from 1996 to 1999. He quit politics in 2001.