Steele-John Absent Next Week as Misconduct Review Nears End

Jordon Steele-John will not attend parliament next week.

The Greens senator from Western Australia confirmed his absence on Saturday. He apologized for posting a confidential letter on social media that detailed misconduct allegations against him. He denied all claims made within that document.

Steele-John removed a social media post Saturday afternoon that contained the three-page letter. The document was originally sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge in early October. It called for an investigation into claims that Steele-John behaved inappropriately toward women between 2017 and 2025. The senator stated he saw the full letter circulating online and did not want to appear as if he were hiding from it. He said, "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."

The letter, dated October 13, said its authors were aware of multiple allegations of serious misconduct regarding his behavior in the presence of women. It cited a specific allegation of sexual harassment at a Greens campaign event in 2024. The alleged victim had not reported the incident due to fear of backlash. The document also referenced serious sexual misconduct in 2025. Steele-John said this claim was raised by a former partner and was investigated by Western Australian police. Police closed the investigation in May with no charges laid. The letter also noted a disparaging nickname for the senator, "feels on wheels," which the authors said suggested a reputation for inappropriate behavior. They emphasized that an allegation does not equate to fact or guilt.

Steele-John rejected the allegations in a statement last Sunday. He accused an unofficial faction within the WA branch of leaking the letter to the media to remove him from the Senate. He described the situation as nasty political games and argued that claims about his behavior should be investigated fairly and thoroughly. His attendance for the rest of the year had been in doubt following a dispute with Shoebridge over whether he was on leave. Shoebridge said he accepted Steele-John's request for leave last week after seven party members urged an investigation. Steele-John denied agreeing to take leave.

The complaints are now the subject of an independent investigation commissioned by the WA Greens. They have also been referred to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission. Steele-John said he would concentrate on seeing that investigation through to its conclusion. He pointed to a growing chorus calling on him to stay away from parliament. He argued a precedent had been set for keeping parliamentarians out after allegations were made. He said, "Had an allegation or complaint been made against me, I would have taken these actions immediately."

Steele-John considered joining Senate estimates virtually but was told that would also be unacceptable. He will focus on the review while away from the chamber.