Greens senator Jordon Steele-John takes leave as complaints face independent review
Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has taken leave from the Greens party room after complaints were made against him. The complaints have triggered an independent review. The Greens confirmed the leave from the party room. The Guardian
Seven party members demanded an investigation into allegations that Steele-John made inappropriate comments to a number of women. The demand came in a letter sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge on Tuesday night. The allegations cited in the letter span from 2017 to 2025. The Sydney Morning Herald
The letter claimed that multiple women who took roles or volunteered in the Greens were warned not to be alone with Steele-John. It claimed those warnings came from inside and outside the Greens party. The seven signatories included five current and former staffers and two active branch members, according to the letter.
Steele-John said he rejects the claims made against him. He said he referred the matter to the Western Australian Greens for a fair, independent process. Shoebridge, leader of the Australian Greens, said he accepted Steele-John's request for leave from the party room. Shoebridge said the matter needs to be resolved via a fair and independent review ensuring natural justice and procedural fairness.
Steele-John said that in the one complaint he had been made aware of, he was the person who experienced family violence. He said he believed an allegation against him arose from a former relationship. He said he has been working with WA Police to address abuse he experienced.
It was unclear whether his leave from the party room included leave from parliament. Steele-John is the Greens senator for Western Australia and the party's spokesman for disability and mental health. He entered parliament in November 2017 aged 23 through a casual vacancy created when Scott Ludlam resigned from the Senate. Ludlam resigned after discovering he was ineligible as a dual citizen. At the time Steele-John entered parliament, he was the youngest senator ever.
