Aussie PM's wife hospitalised

CAIRNS - The Australian Prime Minister's wife Therese Rein was admitted to hospital last night after dinner with leaders, including New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.

Ms Rein, 51, was discharged from the Cairns Base Hospital this morning after experiencing symptoms similar to a stomach virus, the Cairns Post reported.

Kevin Rudd was with his wife this morning as she told media she felt "fabulous".

She recently climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and lost 25kg as part of her training for the climb.

In a strange twist of fate, Mr Rudd and Ms Rein had toured the same hospital while in Cairns for the Pacific Islands Forum which ends today.

"She came back from Kilimanjaro back to Australia and a day later came to cairns to help me host the wives and partners of the heads of government (function) at the Pacific Islands Forum," Mr Rudd said.

Mr Key said he was distressed by the news that Ms Rein had been in hospital.

"I sat next to her at dinner last night and she was telling quite a lot about her.

"She's obviously had quite a big trip to Kilimanjaro and I understand lost quite a lot of weight as part of that process," Mr Key told reporters this morning.

- NZPA