Prime Minister Julia Gillard must come clean about her plans for her former boss Kevin Rudd, says opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey.
Mr Rudd has confirmed he spoke with the UN secretary-general about a possible appointment to a "development-related" role, which would still enable him to be an MP or cabinet minister should he retain his seat of Griffith at the August 21 election.
The UN job would likely involve attending about three meetings a year.
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But Mr Hockey said the public didn't want any "part-time ministers".
"It is incomprehensible and unacceptable for Kevin Rudd to be soliciting a job with the United Nations and have at the same time the guarantee of a fallback job as a cabinet minister in a Gillard government," he told reporters in Sydney.
"Is Julia Gillard supporting this UN application from Kevin Rudd? We don't know.
"They had no problem deciding what to do with Kevin Rudd a few weeks ago, now they are having troubles speaking with him in the future."
Ms Gillard has said Mr Rudd will be offered a spot in her cabinet if the government is returned to power.
