Jordon Steele-John, a Greens senator from Western Australia, has denied being on leave amid ongoing complaints about his conduct, accusing internal party factions of engaging in “nasty political games.” In a detailed statement released Sunday night, Steele-John challenged claims made by Greens leader David Shoebridge that he had requested and accepted a leave of absence following allegations that surfaced last week.
The controversy began when Nine newspapers reported that seven former and current party members had called for an investigation into allegations that Steele-John acted inappropriately towards women between 2017 and 2025. These complaints are currently under review by an independent inquiry commissioned by the Western Australian Greens and have also been referred to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.
Steele-John expressed his commitment to a fair and thorough investigation but accused an unofficial faction within the Western Australian Greens of leaking the complaints to media outlets deliberately to influence party preselections and damage his reputation. He noted the timing of the letter’s delivery to Shoebridge’s office coincided with a recent agreement on the timeline for the next preselection process.
In his statement, Steele-John emphasized his belief that politicizing complaints meant to protect victims undermines accountability and trust, warning that it discourages survivors from coming forward and casts suspicion on legitimate claims. “That is not accountability. It is factionalism, and it has no place in the Greens,” he said.
Contradicting Shoebridge’s comments from the previous week, Steele-John said he never agreed to take leave and felt pressured by Shoebridge to do so as the allegations became public. “It was a bad call from David. We’ve all made those in politics,” he added. The Greens leader had stated on Thursday that Steele-John requested leave from the party room, which was accepted, and on Friday confirmed the senator was on leave.
The complaint letter referenced three issues but did not provide explicit details. One related to a disparaging nickname, “feels on wheels,” which Steele-John said initially stemmed from his emotional speeches about the disability royal commission but had developed a more damaging connotation, suggesting inappropriate behavior toward women. Another matter involved allegations of sexual harassment at a Greens campaign party in 2024, though no specific accusations were outlined. The third concerned “serious sexual misconduct,” which included an allegation of sexual assault that was investigated by Western Australian police but ultimately did not result in charges.
Steele-John also addressed a 47-page dossier dating back to 2016 reportedly containing allegations and guidance for party response if the claims became public. He stated the dossier arose from a personal conflict with friends prior to his preselection and accused an internal faction of attempting to circulate “half-heard rumours” to media in 2017 as part of a smear campaign. The document, he said, was intended to ensure consistent and accurate information was available to party staff.
The Western Australian Greens have acknowledged the independent investigation into the allegations, while the broader inquiry via the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission continues. Requests for comment from Shoebridge’s office and Western Australian police were made but not immediately returned.