Without flexing a muscle, Kevin Rudd hits the news again and his increasing media mileage lately seems to translate into higher support within Labor caucus, which could signal his return as party leader and prime minister.

According to the Australian Associated Press (AAP), Mr Rudd would easily be supported by at least 40 members of the 102-strong Labor caucus, which could further rise in the months ahead as the ruling party faces the spectre of defeat with Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the helm.

Polls have been suggesting that the Labor-led government will not be around after the general election in mid-2013 and this early, Opposition leader Tony Abbott has been presenting himself as likely the next PM, criticising even Australia's defence policies while going the rounds of conservative circles in Washington.

And Labor, of course, was reading the writings on the wall, according to chief Labor chief whip Joel Fitzgibbon, who warned earlier this week that definitely and despite adamant protestations from Ms Gillard and senior Labor figures, the poll numbers will catch up with the ruling party.

Mr Fitzgibbon pointed out that "no political leader can stay on low polling numbers forever," and as a matter of survival, those in the government will correct the situation.

Yesterday, Greg Rudd, brother of the former prime Mmnister, boldly declared that by February 2013, the woman who ousted Mr Rudd in June 2010 will meet the same fate as the ALP realises that it will not survive on Ms Gillard's inability to connect with the Australian public.

Labor would want to witness the same magic that made Kevin Rudd the popular Australian leader in 2007, humiliating in defeat even the long-serving Liberal government of John Howard.

By December this year, Ms Gillard's doom will be sealed, the other Rudd said.

But her stay as Labor leader could be shored up by lingering support from labour union leaders, with Transport Workers Union chief Tony Sheldon insisting in an interview with The Australian that Labor will still lose the election even if Mr Rudd will become the party headliner anew.

Besides, Mr Sheldon added, the former PM is seen by union groups as 'disastrous' to their cause so supporting him would be a remote possibility.

Also, New England MP Tony Windsor reminded Labor that he and fellow independent MP Rob Oakeshott have agreed to specifically support the Gillard Government and the same cannot be extended to a different Labor PM.

"The document I signed with Julia Gillard is not a transferrable document," Mr Windsor told ABC on Friday.

"What I've consistently said throughout all of this is if there is a change of leadership all bets would be of," he added.

Yet, he conceded that without explicit support from MPs like him, Labor can continue governing with a different frontman.

"Governments, minority governments, can be formed without a written agreement," Mr Windsor admitted.

In a response from the Coalition, shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey viewed the fresh developments as Labor's inability to consolidate inner support for the embattled prime minister, with union groups trying to force its way with the ruling party.

"Julia Gillard is (the) prime minister but frankly most Australians do not want her as prime minister and I suspect most of the Labor Party don't want her as prime minister either," Mr Hockey said in an interview with Macquarie Radio on Friday.

But all the odds may not be totally stacked against Ms Gillard as AAP reported on Friday that her carbon tax has been gaining ground less than a month after its implementation.

As per the news agency's report, carbon pricing now counts the support of 49 per cent Aussies while only 31 per cent remaining in opposition of the measures.