Senator misses four days as misconduct probe concludes

The Western Australian Senate has faced a week of disruption as Greens senator Jordon Steele-John confirmed he will not attend parliament sessions next week. This absence coincides with the final phase of an independent investigation into misconduct allegations leveled against the 32-year-old politician. The decision follows a public dispute over his status within the party and a recent apology for sharing confidential documents online.

Steele-John stated he will concentrate on seeing the independent investigation through to its conclusion. The probe was commissioned by the WA Greens and has been referred to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission. The allegations cover a period from 2017 to 2025 and include claims of inappropriate behavior towards women. The senator denied all of the claims in a statement posted on Saturday afternoon.

The controversy escalated after Steele-John deleted a social media post containing a three-page letter that had been sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge. The letter, dated October 13, detailed specific allegations, including sexual harassment at a 2024 campaign event and serious sexual misconduct in 2025. It also cited a disparaging nickname for the senator, "feels on wheels," which the authors argued suggested a reputation for inappropriate behavior. The authors stressed that an allegation does not equate to guilt and urged a thorough investigation.

Shoebridge said he accepted a request for leave from Steele-John last week after seven party members wrote to him urging an investigation. The senator denied agreeing to take leave, creating a public dispute over his attendance. In a statement, Steele-John noted that a precedent had been set for keeping parliamentarians out after allegations were made, though he maintained that he would have acted immediately had a formal complaint been filed.

The 2025 misconduct allegation was reportedly raised by a former partner. Western Australian police investigated the claim and closed the case in May with no charges laid. The police confirmed this outcome to the senator. The letter described the 2024 allegation as involving a victim who did not report the incident for fear of backlash.

Steele-John apologized for the additional stress caused by releasing the letter, saying he was unsure if it was the right call. He described the situation as involving "nasty political games" by an unofficial faction within the WA branch. The senator rejected the allegations and insisted that any claims about his behavior should be investigated fairly and thoroughly. He will remain absent from the Senate for the remainder of next week's sittings.