UPDATED 10.03am Kevin Rudd may find himself receiving a "no thank you" from the Australian Government.

LISTEN ABOVE: Neil Mitchell from 3AW spoke to Larry Williams

And it could be partly because New Zealand is putting up a better candidate.

The former Labor PM has gone to the current administration asking for its support for his bid to become UN Secretary-General.

Macquarie University Associate Professor Geoffrey Hawker says there's a number of delicious ironies in this - that the conservative wing of the Turnbull government doesn't want to support Mr Rudd.

"They would find it more palatable to support Helen Clark. I feel sure of that. Even though they would say she's also on the left of politics, a Labour person, but she's better than Rudd."

Mr Hawker said Mr Rudd seems to have an undying energy in his own ambition, so you can't rule him out entirely.

"Coming from Australia at this stage of the game, he's got a lot of weight against him. He's a marvelous private networker. He'll be lobbying, he'll be phoning up, he'll be visiting people, he'll be putting the pressure on."

Correspondent Donna Demaio told Andrew Dickens there's been plenty of reaction across the Tasman.

"Immigration minister Peter Dutton said recently, 'Mr Rudd is behaving like a pest. He should take up a more normal retirement hobby. Play golf or buy a caravan.'"

Melbourne reporter Neil Mitchell told Larry Williams, Rudd is a big problem.

"He's a schemer and a plotter. He's not a good manager. He was a chaotic prime minister."

Former Labor premier of New South Wales, Kristina Keneally describes Rudd as a psychopathic narcissist.

Mr Mitchell said hat's not the only comment she had.

"She says she can think of 12 people better qualified to be Secretary General of the UN. One of them is her Labrador."

Though Labour MP and former UN worker David Shearer says Mr Rudd is no fool.

"He must have tested the waters with some of the main players before putting his name in the ring. If he thought there was absolutely no show he wouldn't have gone through the embarrassment of putting his name forward."

It's thought the Australian government will agree to nominate Mr Rudd, but offer him little in the way of campaign support.

John Key said New Zealand has asked Australia under both Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull for its for support Helen Clark.

But he said it can be tricky when a country's former leader themselves also comes asking for support - because most people want to see their own do well.

"In the end let's see how it plays out. Hopefully the Australians will support Helen Clark but if they don't we'll understand why."