Steele-John Skips NDIS Estimates As Greens Party Room Weighs Forced Leave

Jordon Steele-John will not appear before Senate officials this week to answer questions about the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The Greens senator, who serves as the party’s disability spokesperson, missed the session following a late Friday statement in which he explained that digital participation had been ruled out. He said he would instead focus his energy on an independent investigation that the Western Australian branch of the Greens hopes to commence soon.

The absence stems from allegations first reported by The Nine newspapers earlier this month. A three-page letter sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge called for an independent probe into secondhand claims that Steele-John acted inappropriately toward women between 2017 and 2025. Shoebridge initially announced that the 32-year-old senator would take leave while the claims were examined. For a party that emphasizes fair handling of such matters, the decision appeared straightforward at first.

The situation became contentious within days. Steele-John rejected the allegations and denied agreeing to take leave from parliament. He accused an internal faction of the WA Greens of playing "nasty political games" by releasing the letter to the media. The senator stated that he spoke publicly because he did not want his silence to be interpreted as an admission of guilt.

Shoebridge maintains that Steele-John agreed to the leave, but he concedes he cannot force the senator to comply alone. Under party rules, a secret ballot in which two-thirds of the party room, meaning more than seven members, vote to expel him would compel the move. Such a step is drastic. Even if the WA Greens' independent investigation clears Steele-John, his standing in the party room would likely suffer significant damage.

The dispute has immediate consequences for the upcoming week of Senate estimates. The NDIS is scheduled for major changes before the end of the decade, and Steele-John is a well-liked figure in the disability community. His absence leaves a gap in the party’s public representation on these issues. Supporters inside and outside the party have noted that allowing a federal member accused of sexual misconduct to continue public duties is difficult to accept, even though no complainant has directly come forward.

The episode is testing Shoebridge’s leadership. The Greens rely on consensus decision-making, and pursuing expulsion requires backing from the party room. The decision will reflect on how the new leader handles a delicate problem. There are unlikely to be any winners in this politically and legally fraught situation.

Steele-John’s future in the party remains unresolved. The party room is currently weighing whether to reach the seven-vote threshold needed to force his leave. The independent investigation has not yet begun.