Steele-John skips Senate week amid probe

Jordon Steele-John will not attend parliament next week, a decision that follows his public apology for releasing a confidential letter containing misconduct allegations against him. The Western Australian Greens senator confirmed his absence while an independent investigation into claims of inappropriate behavior between 2017 and 2025 moves toward its final stages.

The three-page letter, dated October 13, was originally sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge. It detailed specific complaints, including an allegation of sexual harassment at a 2024 campaign event. The letter noted that the alleged victim did not report the incident at the time due to fear of backlash. It also referenced a claim of serious sexual misconduct in 2025, which Steele-John says was raised by a former partner. Western Australian police closed that investigation in May with no charges laid.

Steele-John posted the full letter to social media on Saturday afternoon before deleting it. He stated that he had seen the document circulating online and did not want to appear evasive. He acknowledged that his decision may have been incorrect. "I'm now not sure that was the right call and I've taken it down. I am really sorry for any additional stress it caused," he said. In a statement posted late Friday night, he explained that he was told joining Senate estimates virtually would also be unacceptable.

The senator pointed to a growing chorus of voices urging him to stay away from the chamber. He argued that a precedent had been set for keeping parliamentarians out after allegations are made. "Had an allegation or complaint been made against me, I would have taken these actions immediately," he said. His attendance for the remainder of the year had already been uncertain following a public dispute with Shoebridge over whether Steele-John was officially on leave.

Shoebridge stated that Steele-John asked for leave, which the leader accepted last week. This decision followed a letter from seven party members urging an investigation. Steele-John has denied agreeing to take leave. The complaints are now being handled by an independent investigation commissioned by the WA Greens and have also been referred to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.

In a statement last Sunday, Steele-John rejected all allegations and accused an unofficial faction within the WA branch of leaking the letter to the media. He described the leak as part of an effort to remove him from the Senate and called it nasty political games. He insisted that any claims about his behavior should be investigated fairly and thoroughly. The letter itself stressed that an allegation does not equate to fact or guilt.