Julia Gillard called it “a day of work” and Kevin Rudd joked he’s “still here to help”.

On the anniversary of the Labor leadership coup the prime minister and foreign minister were at opposite ends of the nation, with Mr Rudd in Brisbane and Ms Gillard in Perth.

But in between there was much talk about whether it has all been worthwhile.

A poll of 12 marginal seats in four states found majority public support behind the former Labor leader and only one in three voters backing the Gillard government’s key policy, the proposed carbon tax.

Addressing a trade breakfast in his home city, Mr Rudd echoed the words he used at the 2007 ALP national conference: “My name’s Kevin, I’m from Queensland, and I’m still here to help.”

Speaking to ABC radio before boarding a plane to Perth, Ms Gillard said of the anniversary: “I call it a day of more work as prime minister.”

Asked about her poor polling and the carbon tax, she said: “As we work our way through those tough reforms I’m not surprised that is causing some anxiety in the community.”

“(But) anybody who thinks that I’m going to fold because it’s a bit tough out there has got me wrong, absolutely wrong.”

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said Mr Rudd still harboured an ambition to return to the leadership.

“We have Kevin Rudd machinating away at the moment. We have got Julia Gillard watching her back,” Mr Abbott said on the Nine Network.

“The prime minister said 12 months ago that the government had lost its way and unfortunately ordinary Australians have been paying the price.”

Labor minister Gary Gray said he believed the leadership change was worthwhile.

“I think only a fool would suggest it wasn’t,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan rejected suggestions there was leadership jockeying and dysfunction in the cabinet.

“I think our cabinet works very well; it works professionally. I think we all have very good relationships with each other,” Mr Swan said.

But Mr Rudd had at least two backers.

Canberra students Katherine Wilson, 23, and Jemma Wilson, 22, set up a cardboard gravestone outside Parliament House to mark the anniversary.

“I just think the Labor party was really unkind,” Katherine Wilson told AAP.

“The way that they did it was unreflective of the compassionate side the Labor party usually has.

“We are just marking that and also I believe that Kevin was a better prime minister than what Julia is now and he should come back.”

The epitaph on the gravestone read in part: “Kevin will be fondly remembered for … the policy he implemented and continues to benefit from; his fast actions to combat the GFC. Fair shake of the sauce bottle.”

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