Did I say that? Kevin Rudd fumbles the party line

YESTERDAY on Australian Agenda Kevin Rudd (perhaps) unwittingly delivered a simultaneous message about party reform and the parliamentary leadership of the Labor Party.

In mounting his case for party reform to empower the lay membership to elect party officials across the spectrum of the organisation, Rudd let slip that such reform may also be part of his argument for a change of parliamentary leadership.

Only he is prepared to deliver control of the Labor Party to the members who have historically been shut out by the unions, the factional warlords, indeed the parliamentary executive of which he is a part. Rudd would go further to get members participating in the Labor Party than any other senior figure in the party. That was his message.

While Julia Gillard focuses on a conscience vote on gay marriage and opening up uranium exports to India ahead of the ALP national conference, Rudd wants members to use the week leading up to the conference to consider party reform because "unless we undertake some serious organisational surgery we (will) end up being a third party in Australian politics".

It's a big statement.

Asked would he implement his ideas if given the chance, Rudd was categorical: "Absolutely." But it was what followed that will have profound implications for federal politics: "My recommendation, if elected . . ." He paused mid-sentence. "If I was in a position in the future . . ." Paul Kelly quickly asked the question viewers must have been thinking: "You mean if elected prime minister again?"

Rudd began the necessary hosing down: "No, no, no, I'm going to your question, that you said if you're ever in a position to do something about this."

The cat was out of the bag.

The exchange with Kelly was brief, but the message was clear: Rudd views party reform as both Labor's strategy for political survival and his ticket to political revival.

This has implications beyond the influence of powerbrokers or even what it means for a return of Rudd to the leadership.

If reforms such as Rudd is proposing were to be enacted, the power and influence of the Labor Right would risk being replaced by the party's Left. The unions are powerful in the factional Right, however the lay membership always elects a left-winger as party president. It would likely do the same across other leadership positions if given the chance.

Empowering the members and disempowering the unions would change the Labor Party's fundamentals. A power shift inside the Labor organisation would inevitably lead to a policy shift as well, moving the party leftwards over time.

Following yesterday's interview, cabinet ministers were quick to privately condemn what Rudd had to say as little more than rabble-rousing, and by someone with a less-than-stellar track record when PM of seeking the input of others along the lines he now wants implemented.

But that doesn't make the reforms Rudd proposes any less real. And there is always the possibility that he has seen the error of his ways and hopes to now get the opportunity to do things differently a second time around.

Either way, Rudd's reformist zeal is sure to be an unwanted distraction for the Prime Minister in the lead-up to the conference, if not the parliamentary year ahead.