No Land Tax's treasurer has quit the party, leaving its controversial candidate Peter Jones to face the unpaid wages owed to election workers.
Treasurer Patrick Di Cosmo's resignation on Friday comes as former party members claimed that No Land Tax president James Ruben was muscled out of the top position on the party ticket mid-campaign by Mr Jones.
The previous president and founder, Jeff Madden, was forced out in February. Both presidents had refused to donate tens of thousands of dollars Mr Jones wanted to fund a $300,000 campaign for a party he had effectively taken over.
Mr Ruben has refused to comment on the reasons for his exit. But Fairfax Media has learnt that Mr Ruben, vice president of the Property Owners Association, quit because he believed he was misled by Mr Jones.
The Balmain-based Mr Madden was dumped in February for failing to attend three meetings called by Mr Jones at short notice in Penrith.
"We have had two presidents, Jeff Madden and James Ruben," Mr Jones said. "Jeff feels that I robbed him of the top spot on the ticket, but his supporters, the old members since day one, the Balmain mafia, didn't support him."
Mr Jones said he wanted the top three candidates to be self-funded. "James was always going to be number two, but he wasn't prepared to kick in any money," he said.
Seventy per cent of workers hired by the party for election day walked off the job when radio reported they wouldn't get paid, Mr Di Cosmo said.
Mr Jones said workers that stayed will get paid, and he will contest the election result in the court of disputed returns.
