Democracy is the worst system of government except for all the others that have been tried.

People like John Faulkner and John Howard, the elder statesmen of their parties have a real role to play to make sure that personal crap the petty behaviours by all those involved in the story below are rejected.

Dumped senator Trish Crossin hints at Julia Gillard's 'shocking' behaviour

Former Labor senator Trish Crossin says she has a shocking story to tell about Julia Gillard's behaviour but will not provide the details now because it is not the right time for the Labor Party.

I've got a good story to tell. 

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 it's about how you leave,'' Ms Crossin told Fairfax Media.

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. But I am choosing, at this point in time, not to tell it,'' she said.

''Because people will be shocked.''

Ms Crossin has 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''.

Contrary to Ms Roxon's assessment, the former senator said Mr Rudd was a good prime minister and would be remembered as such.

''All leaders have their flaws … but at the end of the day, Kevin led us to victory,'' Ms Crossin said.

On Thursday, there was little appetite within the federal Labor caucus to discuss Ms Roxon's speech. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said all former Labor leaders deserved respect after holding office.

''All former Labor leaders are deserving of a place in the party's history and they should be accorded the respect that the Labor Party has traditionally given to former leaders,'' Mr Bowen told ABC radio.

''I think that applies to Julia Gillard and I think it applies to Kevin Rudd.''