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Rudd's party-less democracy?

Article Excerpt
In her regular spot on Late Night Live with Philip Adams, the Australian Financial Review's political journalist Laura Tingle observed that for most of his speech to the ALP national conference, Kevin Rudd appeared to be talking over the heads of the assembled party faithful. Rudd's words, Tingle observed, were aimed at the TV cameras rather than the conference delegates.

In itself, this may mean nothing. More than most parliamentary politics, conferences are stage-managed affairs, more akin to elaborate theatrical productions conducted by a troupe of amateur players than authentic political arenas where genuine debate takes place. The leaders' speeches in particular are not for the delegates, but for media and the general electorate.

Alternatively, the image of Rudd speaking over the heads of his party colleagues, directly to the public--or as direct as the stage-managed media event allows--may be a sign of the style of leadership that Rudd will pursue should he win office. In particular, it may prefigure Rudd's commitment to 'partyless democracy', a style of leadership pioneered by Tony Blair's New Labour.

The outline and rationale behind 'partyless democracy' were neatly drawn by Peter Mair in a 2001 issue of the New Left Review. Mair was concerned to understand an apparent paradox that seemed to sit at the heart of New Labour....