Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Papua New Guinea couple name their newborn child after Australian leader Kevin Rudd

Posted at 03:39 on 10 March, 2008 UTC

A couple in Papua New Guinea named their newborn after the Australian Prime Minister after he visited the hospital that day.

Kevin Rudd was on an official visit to PNG last week, including the Goroko Hospital in the Eastern Highlands Province.

Mr Rudd received a Royal-like welcome at the airport, was mobbed walking the streets and bought numerous local handicrafts before visiting the Goroka hospital.

Lina and Esau Kitgi were so thrilled by the arrival of both the Australian prime minister and their fourth child, they tied the events together.

Goroka hospital mid-wife, Elizabeth Angiva, says Mr Rudd was outside the labour ward and soon after he left they had the baby and decided to call it Kevin Rudd.