Former Australian PM Rudd hospitalised

Article from Borneo Bulletin Weekend. Published on Saturday Jul, 31 2010

SYDNEY (AFP) - Former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd was Friday admitted to hospital for surgery to treat severe stomach pain - one month after he was dramatically removed from office by his own party.

The former Labor leader, 52, was admitted to hospital in Brisbane after suffering acute abdominal pain, a spokesman said.

"Mr Rudd will have an operation to remove his gall bladder later today," the spokesman said in a statement.

Rudd, who is standing for re-election in his Queensland seat in August 21 national polls, has haunted the election campaign of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who wrested power from him in a party coup in late June.

Gillard has publicly promised Rudd a senior ministerial role if Labor is re-elected, but her campaign has lost momentum amid damaging cabinet leaks which some have suggested may have come from Rudd.

Former colleague and one-time prime ministerial candidate Mark Latham Friday challenged Rudd over the leaks, which revealed that the childless Gillard once questioned a popular pension increase for the elderly and paid maternity leave.

Latham, who led the Labor Party for 13 months before resigning in January 2005 citing ill health and amid dissent about his leadership, suggested Rudd had taken the "snake's way" of leaking to journalists.