US President Barack Obama would visit Australia and Indonesia in June

US President Barack Obama postpones Australia, Indonesia trip | News.com.au

US President Barack Obama today postponed his trip to Australia and Indonesia until a later date, as he attempts to push his health care reform bill through Congress.

"We greatly regret the delay of the trip," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters, but he added the "passage of health insurance reform is of paramount importance and the President is determined to see this battle through".

Mr Gibbs said Mr Obama had called Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and would later call Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to tell him he would have to put the trip off to a "later date".

The President's spokesman said it was now clear that a House of Representatives vote on health care reform could not now take place until Sunday afternoon at the earliest.

Mr Obama had already delayed his departure by three days until Sunday morning in a bid to finally pilot his top domestic priority to extend health care coverage to some 32 million Americans through Congress.