Kevin Rudd has talked up his record as prime minister - and his agenda should he be returned to the top job - before catching a plane home from the US to a leadership vote.
Mr Rudd fronted the media in Washington DC hours after he quit as foreign minister.
He told reporters he had been encouraged by the support of federal Labor members and ministers to contest the leadership of the Labor party, but stopped short of confirming a challenge.
He said that would have to wait until he returned to Brisbane but refused to speculate whether he had the numbers to topple Julia Gillard as prime minister.
About an hour later, Ms Julia Gillard held a press conference in Adelaide to announce a leadership ballot for 10am (AEDT) on Monday.
"I will declare my position on the future of the ALP leadership on my return to Australia," Mr Rudd said.
But in a clear pitch to caucus members, he cited his record as prime minister before he was rolled by Ms Gillard in June 2010.
"Remember it's through that period of government when I had the privilege of being prime minister that singly Australia got through the global financial crisis without going into recession and without generating mass unemployment," he said.
"Not only that, we emerged with among the lowest debt and deficit rates of all the developed countries in the world."
Mr Rudd said the Australian people and the business community needed to have confidence that the government was in strong and stable hands when negotiating very uncertain global financial times.
"We are not out of hot water yet when it comes to Europe.
"Therefore, in the very difficult period which lies ahead in 2012, experience and confidence and discipline will be needed."
Mr Rudd said he did not believe Ms Gillard could lead Labor to success in the next election.
"That is a deep belief and I believe also a view shared right across the Australian community," he said.
The former prime minister, who was rolled by Ms Gillard in June 2010, said he had been shocked and disappointed by the personal attacks against him by several senior colleagues.
Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan along with senior ministers Simon Crean, Tony Burke, Brendan O'Connor and Stephen Conroy have all made critical comments about Mr Rudd's time as prime minister in the past 24 hours.
"Whatever our differences in politics I do not believe that these sort of vicious personal attacks have a place in professional political life," Mr Rudd said.
"We all have the responsibility to preserve the fabric of decency in our political institutions."
Mr Rudd laid out four key priorities under a government he would lead.
They included restoring business confidence and encouraging small businesses to invest in their future, maintaining a strong manufacturing industry and continuing health and education reform.
He ended the press conference with his trademark words "I've gotta zip", before heading to airport and home.
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