Malcolm Turnbull has triggered a spat with Kevin Rudd over the best way to conduct life after serving as prime minister, declaring Mr Rudd and Tony Abbott were “miserable ghosts” who were bitter over losing power.

Mr Turnbull’s remark to a private discussion in New York, secretly recorded and published online, drew a "quick reality check” from Mr Rudd on which of the two men had moved on from Australian politics.

“Having told the world you’ve left politics behind, you seem to be in the media every day talking about it,” Mr Rudd chided Mr Turnbull on social media while travelling in India.

“Second, in case you didn’t notice, I left Parliament for NYC five years ago. Why not come over for a cuppa?”