Five years on from the bitter political battles between Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard, the pair will be given life membership of the Labor party.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will try to heal some of the wounds from the fractious Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years at Labor's national conference in Adelaide on Tuesday.

All living Labor prime ministers will be given life membership, meaning Mr Rudd, Ms Gillard and Paul Keating will be handed the honour.

"It's my view that, as a party, we have not always done enough in the past to recognise and pay proper respect to Labor leaders who have led our party and our nation as prime minister," Mr Shorten said on Monday.

"I hope this can be an opportunity for all proud Labor members to acknowledge your service in a spirit of unity and solidarity."

Mr Rudd will be in Adelaide to accept his membership in person.