Federal Employment Participation Minister Kate Ellis says Kevin Rudd is being hypocritical in accusing so-called "faceless men" in Labor for manoeuvring against him when he has been privately laying into Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
"Here is a classical example of Kevin Rudd saying one thing publicly to the Australian people and doing quite another," Ms Ellis told ABC radio on Thursday.
"I understand why the community could be a bit confused here, but the reality is Kevin Rudd has been making deeply personal attacks behind the scenes to journalists for over a year now.
"It is somewhat hypocritical for him to then come out and make those statements when people are prepared to put their names, put their face to their comments and say this is the truth about Kevin Rudd," she said.
Ms Ellis said listening to Mr Rudd's press conference in Washington on Thursday morning (AEDT) was "deeply frustrating".
Mr Rudd had been bad-mouthing Ms Gillard for a long time, she said.
"I know. I was present," she said.
"Well, almost exactly a year ago at the opening party for the Adelaide Fringe (Festival), when Kevin Rudd was there at the Stag (Hotel), (he was) personally talking down the prime minister, talking about how it was his mission that he was going to get his revenge and come back."
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