Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has hit the hustings in regional Victoria, saying he was "here to lend a hand" and insisting he does not "see any circumstances" that would elevate him back to the Labor leadership.

This morning Mr Rudd pledged his support for Julia Gillard, saying she was "showing very strong leadership in very difficult circumstances for the Australian Labor Party, and she has my support."

He also accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of "absolute arrogance", as, in a sign of the growing confidence within Opposition ranks, Nationals Senate Leader Barnaby Joyce said "the reality is that the Coalition are going to win the election".

Mr Rudd's visit to campaign with local Labor MPs in Geelong came at the end of a chaotic week for the ALP.

Key points Kevin Rudd campaigns in Geelong, promises nation-wide campaign heading to polling day

Kevin Rudd campaigns in Geelong, promises nation-wide campaign heading to polling day Accused Tony Abbott of "arrogance" and pledged support to Julia Gillard

Accused Tony Abbott of "arrogance" and pledged support to Julia Gillard Bill Shorten admits polls setting scene for Coalition landslide

Bill Shorten admits polls setting scene for Coalition landslide Greens senator says Labor needs to "take a stand"

Greens senator says Labor needs to "take a stand" Barnaby Joyce says "reality is the Coalition is going to win"

It began with disastrous polling showing the party could be left with as few as 40 seats in federal parliament, and ended with two long-serving MPs confirming they had packed up their Canberra offices in preparation for the electoral wipe-out.

The dire news triggered yet another round of questions about whether former PM Kevin Rudd would try to reclaim the Labor leadership.

Mr Rudd has rejected the notion of returning to the leadership, first on last night's 7.30, and then again this morning on his regular political debate spot on Channel Seven.

But Cabinet minister Bill Shorten has added to the gloomy mood by conceding that the polls are pointing to a landslide Coalition win in September's federal election.

The Workplace Relations Minister was asked a question by a caller on talkback radio about whether Labor should switch leaders to try to boost its electoral chances.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Listen Duration: 5 minutes 47 seconds 5 m Shorten concedes polls point to Abbott landslide win ( Sabra Lane ) Download 2.6 MB

"There is no doubt in my mind that if the polls are correct Tony Abbott will win in a landslide," he said.

Rudd promises nationwide campaign, Gillard hosts talks in Melbourne

Mr Rudd spent Friday morning campaigning in Geelong with local Labor MPs Darren Cheeseman and Richard Marles.

His visit coincided with Ms Gillard's trip to Melbourne, where she will sit down with car industry bosses this afternoon in an attempt to nut out a survival plan for the stalled car-making sector.

Mr Cheeseman holds Labor's most marginal seat, Corangamite, but even Mr Marles, who holds Corio with a 13 per cent margin, would be worried given the recent polls.

In his speech to a community forum, Mr Rudd used what will be seen as a revealing phrase, calling Tony Abbott "another bloke" who wants to be the prime minister of Australia.

But Mr Rudd said his position on the leadership had not changed.

"I have said very plainly that I am not a candidate for the leadership and I've said equally plainly that I don't see any circumstances under which I would return to the leadership," he said.

Last year, he left open the possibility of reclaiming the leadership if he was drafted by the majority of Caucus.

He has promised to campaign across the nation to help his Labor colleagues in coming months.

"My job is to argue the case for Labor at a local level, up hill and down dale - every state of Australia ... you name it I'll be there in order to get these guys across the line," Mr Rudd said.

"We're going to fight this election from this day through to election day, because we beleive in a contest, we believe our members have a strong record, we believe the government under the Prime Minister has a strong record and I'm here to lend a hand."

Rudd slams ALP's 'culture of defeatism'

Earlier, he repeated his rallying call to Labor MPs, urging them not to be "hauling up the white flag".

"There's too much of a culture of defeatism on the part of various folks on our side," he said this morning.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 8 minutes 39 seconds 8 m Watch 7.30's interview with Kevin Rudd

"What I'm saying very loud and clear to all those folks is this is not the time to start constructing alibis for defeat, this is the time to implement a strategy for victory."

Mr Marles, who lost his position as parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs after speaking out in support of Mr Rudd earlier this year, said "there is no conspiracy" to replace Ms Gillard.

"I'm happy to go to the election with Julia Gillard as our leader," he told ABC Radio in Melbourne.

He insisted that Mr Rudd was just one of a number of senior figures who had come to the area to help campaign.

"He's a former prime minister, he's a man who is very popular, he's good at communicating a message," he said.

"I think people are really going to enjoy meeting him, I think he's got a lot to talk about in terms of the future of regional cities in this country in a place like Geelong."

Shorten says policies must trump personalities

Workplace Relations Minister Mr Shorten said Labor needed to "move beyond debating the personalities" and said he was comfortable with Mr Rudd speaking out so prominently.

"He's campaigning for Labor, like we all are," he said.

"You've got to campaign in the electronic age, people know who he is, so the fact he's campaigning for Labor is an asset for Labor.

"We've got to move beyond debating the personalities to get into the issues.

"People want to know what we're going to do for them over the next 10, 20 years - not who likes who."

Asked if he would take the role of Opposition Leader in the likely event of a Labor loss, Mr Shorten said "I'm not interested in losing the election".

After conceding that Mr Abbott was set for a "landslide" victory, Mr Shorten later predicted "the election will be very close".

Penny Wong says 'I take Kevin at his word'

Finance Minister Penny Wong says she welcomes Mr Rudd's efforts to campaign for Labor's re-election.

Sorry, this video has expired Wong welcomes Rudd's rallying call to Labor MPs ( Beverley O'Connor )

"I take Kevin at his word and I watched that interview and I thought it was great that he was out campaigning for Labor - that's what we all need to do," she told ABC News 24.

Home Affairs Minister and western Sydney MP Jason Clare says there is no chance Mr Rudd will become Labor leader again.

"That issue is done and dusted," he told Channel Nine.

"What Kevin is saying is we need to fight, we need to fight hard about the things that we believe in."

Greens senator says Opposition 'sailing' into office

Victorian Greens Senator Richard di Natale says the disarray in Government ranks is "bad for the country".

"The Labor Party needs to sort itself out - not just because they are facing an electoral wipeout, but it's bad for the country to have a Government in freefall and an Opposition essentially sail through to government," he said.

"This is a Government that needs to show a bit of courage, pick themselves up off the floor - take a stand."