Searle joined the Australian Labor Party in 1985 and has been an active member since, holding various positions at branch and electorate council levels. He has frequently been a delegate to the NSW Annual Conference and in 2004 was a delegate to the National Conference. He served on
Blue Mountains City Council from September 1999 and was Mayor from September 2008 until September 2010. In the
2001 federal election, Searle unsuccessfully contested the
federal electorate of Macquarie. Searle worked for NSW Labor in opposition from 1994 to 1995 and as Chief of Staff to NSW Attorney General and Minister for Industrial Relations,
Jeff Shaw, from 1995 to 2000. For a week in May and June 2021, Searle was interim party leader between
Jodi McKay's resignation as leader and the
subsequent leadership vote. On 8 June 2021, Searle was replaced as Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council by
Penny Sharpe. ==Personal life==