After Nicola Roxon launched a stinging attack on Kevin Rudd on Wednesday, arguing he was a rude and dysfunctional ''bastard'' who deserved to be dumped in June 2010, Ms Crossin said the former attorney-general had tarnished her record by revealing her opinion.

''It's about how you get there and its about how you leave,'' she said.

Ms Crossin, who has been an outspoken Rudd supporter, said now was not the time for Labor to air its grievances. The former senator said people would be ''shocked'' if she gave the full account of Ms Gillard's so-called ''captain's pick'' in January this year, when Ms Crossin was replaced as Labor's Northern Territory Senate candidate with Nova Peris.

''I've got a good story to tell,'' she said. ''But I am choosing at this point in time not to tell it. Because people will be shocked.''

She has previously described her dumping in favour of Ms Peris as undemocratic, and has criticised Ms Gillard for not offering her an alternative job.

But Ms Crossin, who is taking a break after 15 years in the Senate, said Labor had to ''put the team ahead of any personal retribution''.

Ms Roxon also called on Mr Rudd to quit politics for the sake of Labor's stability, but on Thursday, there was little appetite within the federal Labor caucus to continue the discussion.

Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said all former Labor leaders deserved respect after holding office.

Mr Rudd declined to comment about Ms Roxon's speech.