Mr Rudd cancelled lunch with the Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom on Thursday and his staff blamed a stomach bug.

The Prime Minister revealed yesterday he was ''feeling a bit crook'' and spoke with his Canberra GP, who referred him to a hospital in Melbourne.

Doctors suspected Mr Rudd had a ''stomach bug''.

''In addition to that, some gallstones. So if you haven't experienced gallstones in the past I understand they can be a little bit on the uncomfortable side,'' Mr Rudd said.

The Prime Minister's wife, Therese Rein, had surgery in January last year to remove gallstones.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times