Former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd has extended an olive branch to his former parliamentary nemesis Malcolm Turnbull, inviting him to a “cuppa” in New York.
The invitation comes after Mr Turnbull was caught describing the former Labor prime minister as a “miserable ghost” on a leaked recording because he, along with Tony Abbott, had stayed in parliament for a period after he was rolled from the leadership.
“Dear Malcolm. A quick reality check on ‘miserable ghosts’,” Mr Rudd responded on Twitter.
“1st, having told the world you've left politics behind, you seem to be in the media every day talking about it. 2nd, in case you didn't notice, I left parliament for [New York] 5 years ago. Why not come over for a cuppa?”
The two ex-PMs are both in New York.
Mr Rudd has been living there for years, while Mr Turnbull travelled there shortly after announcing his retirement from politics at the end of August.
It is not yet clear if Mr Turnbull has responded to the invitation.
The recording of Mr Turnbull was taken at a young leadership seminar in New York and leaked to the Nine Network.
In the tape, he tells his audience he will continue to speak publicly on some issues but he will no longer engage in partisan, two-party politics.
Mr Turnbull said he would “not become a Trappist monk”, referring to a Catholic sect whose monks rarely speak.
“When you stop being prime minister, that’s it,” Mr Turnbull said.
“There is no way I would be hanging around embittered like Kevin Rudd or Tony Abbott.
“Seriously these people are like, sort of miserable, miserable ghosts. Move on.
“I’ve always said, and I’d always resolved, that when I cease to be prime minister, I would resign from parliament immediately.”
Kevin Rudd remained in parliament after his Labor colleagues rolled him from the leadership and replaced him with Julia Gillard. He ultimately returned to the leadership after another spill, but lost the subsequent election to Tony Abbott.
Mr Abbott has stayed in parliament ever since a Liberal spill saw him lose the prime ministership to Malcolm Turnbull. He remains a backbencher in the Morrison government.
