Following the gaffe he had committed earlier this week, Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd shifted his gears and voiced out support for his boss, the embattled Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Days after he wrongly referred to his position as Prime Minister, which he quickly attributed to jet lag due to his long trip from the United States, Rudd told reporters on Friday that as a responsible member of the Cabinet he is duty-bound to back Ms Gillard.

"People are very kind but I am very happy being foreign minister," Rudd reiterated as he alluded to recent polls that suggest he could very well resume the post he lost to Ms Gillard during a Labor power struggle last year.

The former Prime Minister added that notwithstanding the current issues going against Ms Gillard and the policy challenges sprouting out one after another, his support remains with the present Labor chief.

"I really enjoy being foreign minister and I think the responsible course of action for ministers of the government, particularly governments facing real policy challenges, is to support the prime minister," Rudd was reported by the Australian Associated Press (AAP) as saying when he addressed media queries in Brisbane on Friday.

When pressed if he gets encouragements from poll suggestions that voters would opt for his leadership instead of Ms Gillard's, Rudd stressed: "As I have said on multiple occasions, I'm very happy being foreign minister."

Also, Rudd hinted that there is no compelling reason for Labor to support another leader other than the sitting Prime Minister and declared that Ms Gillard is well-positioned to claim the same position she occupies any given election.

"I support the prime minister and I also believe the prime minister will lead us to the next election," Rudd asserted.

He reiterated too that swirling rumours about his likely re-ascension to the Lodge was not dislodging him from his foremost task of promoting Australia's interest before the international community.

"I manage to work a pretty healthy day not thinking about any of this stuff ... and I've been around in politics long enough to know this question comes and goes," Rudd said.