Steele-John misses NDIS scrutiny while Greens debate forced leave
The senator will not attend Senate estimates as his party weighs a secret ballot to compel his absence from parliament.
By Thabo Mokoena ·
Jordon Steele-John will not attend the upcoming week of Senate estimates. The Greens senator serves as the party's disability spokesperson, a role that places him at the center of scrutiny over the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Officials expect the NDI to undergo major changes before the end of the decade.
In a statement issued late Friday, Steele-John explained that he explored the option of participating digitally. He said he was informed that remote attendance would also be unacceptable. He stated that he would instead focus on the independent and timely investigation he hopes is soon commenced by the Greens WA.
The absence follows a dispute that began more than a week ago. The Nine newspapers reported that a three-page letter was sent to David Shoebridge, the federal Greens leader. The letter called for an independent investigation into allegations that the Western Australian senator acted inappropriately towards women between 2017 and 2025.
Shoebridge initially announced that the 32-year-old senator would take leave while an independent probe examined the claims. Steele-John rejected the allegations and denied agreeing to take leave. He accused an internal faction of the WA Greens of playing nasty political games by releasing the letter to the media.
Shoebridge maintains that Steele-John agreed to take leave, but he cannot compel the senator to do so alone. The party rules require a secret ballot in which two-thirds of the party room votes to expel a member. This threshold means more than seven members must vote for expulsion to force compliance.
Such a step would be drastic. Even if the WA Greens' independent investigation cleared Steele-John, his standing in the party room would be damaged. The decision on forcing leave will reflect on Shoebridge's leadership as much as on party process.
The Greens pride themselves on consensus decision-making. Shoebridge would need the party room's backing to pursue expulsion. His handling of the issue will set the tone for the rest of his leadership and could lead to a bitter fight with Steele-John.
Source: The Guardian
