LESS than two months after Labor won the WA election, State party secretary John Halden has announced his resignation.
The former social worker, who held the secretary position for little more than a year, is believed to be leaving the party to take up a position with CPR Consultants.
During his time, Mr Halden managed to clear the party’s $750,000 debt through targeting the corporate sector, raising a levy on members, running functions and selling the party’s Beaufort Street office.
The WA election campaign put the party back in debt but Mr Halden believes it is manageable.
While he initially believed the hours of a State secretary were shorter, Labor’s electoral win seemed to change that view.
And then there is the thought of a federal election campaign in less than nine months.
Mr Halden believes the party has to put more work into raising funds to fight the federal election.
During the WA election the Liberal Party spent three times more than Labor.
Mr Halden’s successor is likely to be determined at the party’s next State executive meeting in May. Until then assistant secretary Bill Johnston will be acting in the role.