Accused Greens Senator Skips Estimates

Jordon Steele-John will sit out the coming week of Senate estimates, a role that places him directly in charge of questioning officials on disability policy. The Greens senator, who serves as the party's spokesperson for disability, said he will focus on an internal investigation rather than attend the public hearings.

The absence comes more than a week after The Nine newspapers reported a letter sent to David Shoebridge, the federal Greens leader. The three-page document called for an independent probe into allegations that Steele-John acted inappropriately towards women between 2017 and 2025. Shoebridge initially announced that the 32-year-old senator would take leave pending the outcome of that probe.

Steele-John rejected that arrangement. He denied agreeing to step back and accused an internal faction of the Western Australian Greens of playing "nasty political games" by leaking the letter. He stated he spoke publicly to prevent his silence from being interpreted as guilt.

Shoebridge maintains that Steele-John agreed to leave, but he cannot force the issue alone. Under party rules, only a secret ballot of the party room can compel compliance. That vote requires support from two-thirds of members, meaning more than seven senators must vote to expel Steele-John. Such a move would be a drastic step, potentially damaging the senator's standing even if the investigation clears him.

The timing of the absence is complicated by the NDIS, which is due to undergo major changes before the end of the decade. Steele-John is well liked in the disability community, and his absence removes a key voice from the estimates process. In a statement issued late Friday, he noted that digital participation was explored but deemed unacceptable.

The situation places a test on Shoebridge's new leadership. The Greens rely on consensus, and forcing an expulsion vote requires backing from the party room. Shoebridge’s handling of the matter will define the tone of his tenure and could lead to a bitter conflict with Steele-John.

No complainant has come forward directly, but the issue has drawn attention to the party's internal dynamics. Rumors have followed the senator throughout his time in office. Whether those rumors were raised for advantage in state pre-selection remains part of the ongoing picture.