Jordon Steele-John denies misconduct claims as Greens launch probe

Australian Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has denied allegations of misconduct towards women, challenged his party leader’s account of his leave status and accused colleagues of political manoeuvring. BBC News reported that the party has opened an internal investigation and referred the allegations to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.

In an online response on Sunday, 18 October, the 32-year-old senator said he was not on leave from the party room. That contradicted Greens leader David Shoebridge’s statement on Thursday that Steele-John had taken leave following a letter from seven current and former party members.

The letter described multiple allegations of misconduct spanning 2017 to 2025. Addressing a sexual assault allegation, Steele-John said police had closed their investigation without laying charges. That account of the police outcome is his statement; the allegations are not established findings.

Dispute over timing and party handling

Steele-John criticised Shoebridge’s handling of the matter and linked the timing of the letter to discussions about candidate selection before the next federal election. He said it reached the leader a day after agreement on a timetable for the next preselection, describing the situation as “nasty political games”. His assertion of a political motive remains an allegation, not a demonstrated explanation for the complaints.

He also addressed a nickname, “Feels on wheels”, which he said originally described his emotional advocacy for disability rights but had subsequently acquired a negative association with the allegations about women. Steele-John has cerebral palsy, uses a wheelchair and entered the Senate representing Western Australia in November 2017.

Earlier dossier and standards referral

Local media subsequently reported that the party had compiled a 47-page dossier years earlier, recording allegations against Steele-John and setting out how to handle media coverage if they became public.

Steele-John said the document was intended to shield the two women at the centre of those claims from intense media attention. He also said neither woman had lodged a complaint. Those explanations are his account of the dossier’s purpose and the women’s actions.

The senator acknowledged that the allegations had harmed public trust in him and said he intended to restore it through transparency and accountability.

Shoebridge’s office confirmed the referral to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission. A spokesperson said the leader continued to consider leave appropriate and maintained that taking leave would have no bearing on the party’s internal investigation.