As Kevin Rudd was tenaciously working behind-the-scenes to drum up support for his failed United Nations secretary-general bid, he apparently reached out to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign chairman John Podesta.

If WikiLeaks’ dump of hacked emails from Mr Podesta’s gmail account are accurate, the former Australian prime minister sent two to Mr Podesta seeking meetings in the US.

The emails do not detail what Mr Rudd wanted to discuss with Mr Podesta.

They also do not include a reply from Mr Podesta.

But, the timing of the first email, December 14, 2015, came just before Mr Rudd’s infamous December 23 meeting with Malcolm Turnbull in the Australian prime minister’s Sydney office to discuss support for the UN secretary-general job.

“Hi John,” Mr Rudd wrote in an email to Mr Podesta on December 14, according to WikiLeaks.

“I’m in DC tomorrow if by any chance you are there for a quick catch up.
“Alternatively in NYC (New York City) Wednesday or Thursday.

“I would appreciate a short chat before Christmas.

“Go well.”

The email was signed with a simple “K”.

Mr Rudd had claimed Mr Turnbull, at that December 23 Sydney meeting, stated his support “for my candidature” for the UN’s top job.

According to the WikiLeaks’ email dump, Mr Rudd reached out again to Mr Podesta on February 26.

The leaks do not show any response from john Podesta. Photo: Getty.

Mr Rudd’s senior executive associate at the Asia Society Policy Institute, Sarah Marten, wrote an email on February 26 seeking meetings with Mr Podesta on March 1 or March 4, according to WikiLeaks.

“Mr Rudd will be in DC next week and was hoping to find some time to meet with you,” the email states.

Mr Rudd, who is in Moscow, Russia, to speak at a conference, was not immediately available for comment.

AAP also reached out to Ms Marten but did not receive a reply.
Mr Turnbull announced in July he would not support Mr Rudd’s secretary-general bid.

Former prime minister of Portugal, Antonio Guterres, was the successful candidate and will replace Ban ki-Moon at the start of 2017.

The Clinton campaign has sought to cast doubt on the authenticity of the thousands of emails released by WikiLeaks, but have not produced evidence any were fraudulent. 

– AAP