Steele-John misses Senate estimates

Senator Jordon Steele-John will not attend the upcoming week of Senate estimates. He will miss the opportunity to question government officials about the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The Greens’ disability spokesperson confirmed the absence in a statement released late Friday.

Steele-John said he explored joining the proceedings digitally. He was told that remote participation would also be unacceptable. He will instead wait for the Western Australian Greens to begin an independent investigation into misconduct claims.

The investigation follows a three-page letter sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge earlier this month. The letter requested an independent review of secondhand allegations. It claimed the Western Australian senator acted inappropriately toward women between 2017 and 2025.

Shoebridge announced that Steele-John would take leave while the probe is conducted. The senator rejected the allegations and denied agreeing to step away from parliament. He accused an internal faction of the WA Greens of playing nasty political games by leaking the letter to the media.

Shoebridge maintains that Steele-John agreed to take leave. He cannot force the senator to comply alone. A secret ballot in which more than seven party members vote to expel him would be required to compel leave.

Steele-John is 32 years old. He is well liked in the disability community. The NDIS is due to undergo major changes before the end of the decade. No complainant has directly come forward to make the allegations.

The decision on whether to force leave will reflect on Shoebridge’s leadership. The Greens pride themselves on consensus decision-making. Shoebridge would need the party room’s backing to pursue expulsion. The situation is fraught politically, legally, and ethically.