Former Labor leader once criticised for 'demeaning attitude' discusses importance of acknowledging work of others

Kevin Rudd has presented himself to colleagues as a changed man who has learned to say to others "you've done a terrific job".

Rudd conceded on Friday, as pressure grows within the Labor party for a last-minute leadership change, that he could have done more to "acknowledge the good work of others" and to explain reforms to the electorate and to his own colleagues.

Rudd made the comments during a student forum on leadership in the western Sydney electorate of McMahon, held by former minister Chris Bowen, who resigned in March after backing Rudd in the leadership showdown which ended in a ballot Rudd did not contest.

The visit took place at the same time as Julia Gillard's trip to her old South Australian primary school to announce that South Australia had become the third government to sign up to her Gonski plan to reform school funding ahead of the 30 June deadline.

Before the last leadership ballot Rudd contested, in February 2012, ministers who had worked with him as prime minister lined up to attack his leadership style, and staff and public servants complained about unreasonable demands and working hours.

The Treasurer, Wayne Swan, accused him of "dysfunctional decision-making and a deeply demeaning attitude towards other people" and former health minister Nicola Roxon said that his attempts to reform the health system descended into "chaos".

Rudd's remarks on Friday are being seen by colleagues as an indication that things would be different if he was returned to the job.

Asked by a student what mistakes he had made in his career, Rudd said: "One of the things I have been slow to learn is the importance of simply privately and publicly acknowledging the good work of others, even though I think it … to say 'you've done a terrific job with that ... you've made a difference with what you have done', telling people is not just to make people feel good, although that is part of it. It is also expressing what we feel."

Rudd told the students that anyone who gave up on their goals and said "it's all too hard" would emerge a "lesser person" and said politicians had to be direct with the electorate in explaining any change in their position because "the Australian people will spot a phoney at 50 paces".

He said it was important to bring the people, the community and parliamentary colleagues with you to explain why a particular change was necessary.

And he insisted Labor could win the election if it returned to a discussion of "core policies".

"There is a whole lot of clutter and noise in politics at present," he said, but if Labor returned to a discussion about schools, hospitals, childcare and paid parental leave it would overcome the "static and noise that gets in the road in politics".

Parliament returns for the final two weeks' sitting before the election on 14 September, and there is heightened discussion within the ALP about returning Rudd to the prime ministership to boost Labor's disastrous position in the polls.

But Gillard backers, such as factional powerbroker and workplace relations minister Bill Shorten, say they still support the prime minister and Rudd has indicated he will not mount a challenge. Colleagues say he would only take the job if Gillard stepped aside.

When leadership speculation reached fever pitch in March and Gillard called a leadership ballot, Rudd did not contest because he did not have a majority among the 102 members of the Labor caucus. Many caucus members say he would now have a majority but this is impossible to verify.

The latest Newspoll showed Labor with a primary vote of just 30% and, after preferences, the Coalition had a 16-point lead, 58% to 42%. This would represent an electoral wipeout for Labor.