Australian Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has rejected allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women, characterising the claims as part of "nasty political games" within his party. According to BBC News, the 32-year-old senator took leave from the party room after seven current and former members submitted a letter accusing him of "multiple allegations" of misconduct spanning 2017 to 2025.
In a lengthy online statement released on Sunday, Steele-John denied the claims and stated he was not on leave as party leader David Shoebridge had indicated. Regarding a sexual assault allegation, he said police investigating the matter had closed the case without laying charges. An internal party investigation has been initiated to examine the allegations.
Steele-John, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, was first elected to the Senate representing Western Australia in November 2017. In his response to the claims, he addressed his nickname "Feels on wheels", explaining that it originally reflected his emotional advocacy for disability rights but had acquired a "more sinister meaning" in the context of the allegations against him.
The senator levelled criticism at Shoebridge's handling of the matter, questioning the timing of the letter. He argued that "it is no coincidence" the allegations were sent to the leader "the day after we agreed on the timeline for the next preselection" ahead of the forthcoming federal election.
Days after the letter was sent to Shoebridge, local media revealed that the party had compiled a 47-page dossier years earlier documenting numerous allegations against Steele-John and strategies for managing media coverage should they become public. Steele-John explained the dossier was created to prevent the media from "bombarding" the two women at the centre of those earlier claims, and he stated that neither woman had filed a formal complaint.
According to SBS News, Steele-John's Sunday statement extended to 2,400 words, in which he acknowledged that a complaint of serious sexual misconduct had been made by a former partner and reiterated that police had made no adverse findings.
Steele-John acknowledged that the allegations would have "damaged" public trust in him and said he remained "committed to rebuilding that by acting with as much transparency and accountability as I can".
Who are the letter writers?
Two of the seven signatories to the original letter have now publicly identified themselves. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, former media adviser Tim Oliver and former WA Greens co-convenor Sarah Nielsen-Harvey came forward to demand that the inquiry's findings be made public. Oliver, who worked for Steele-John from October 2017 to July 2021, confirmed the existence of the crisis-communications dossier and verified that it had been used.
What is the scope of the investigation?
Shoebridge's office confirmed that the allegations had been referred to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission. A spokesperson for Shoebridge said the leader still believed "leave is appropriate under the circumstances" and that taking leave would not influence the internal party investigation.
Greens WA announced it was establishing an independent process to examine the allegations but declined to comment further while the inquiry was underway. However, the party has not announced a timetable for the investigation or made any commitment to publish its findings publicly.
A complicating factor is that the parliamentary code of conduct took effect on 14 October 2024, meaning some allegations concern periods before that date, including before Steele-John became a senator, which may affect the scope of any parliamentary investigation.
What happens next?
Greens WA was seeking legal advice on how to establish an independent inquiry into the allegations. No timetable has been announced for the completion of the investigation, and the party has not committed to releasing the findings to the public.
