Greens leader says accused senator should take leave as pair remain at odds

Greens leader David Shoebridge says Jordon Steele-John should take leave amid an investigation into alleged inappropriate comments towards women after the accused senator maintained he would continue serving in his role.

In a lengthy social media post on Sunday night, Steele-John said Shoebridge made a “bad call” when he announced the senator was on leave from the party and parliament over a letter outlining allegations between 2017 and 2025.

“I very much understand the tremendous scrutiny David was under in his first week in parliament as leader, and I have compassion for that,” he said.

“I also feel that he let me and my team down.”

A spokesperson for the Greens leader told nine.com.au that Shoebridge’s understanding was that both sides had agreed on Steele-John taking leave.

“Senator Shoebridge remains of the opinion that leave is appropriate under the circumstances and reiterates that this in no way prejudges any of the matters being referred to an inquiry commissioned by the WA Greens,” the spokesperson said.

In his statement, Steele-John confirmed he was not on leave and claimed Shoebridge did not have the power to place him on leave from the party or parliament.

“I will continue to do my job in a way that supports my staff team, my family and my community. I believe that is what the community would expect,” he said.

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Staffer says she was warned not to be alone with federal senator

Steele-John has rejected the allegations of inappropriate comments towards women outlined by seven party members in the letter sent to Shoebridge on Tuesday night.

In one of the instances noted in the letter, the Greens senator alleged he was the victim of family and domestic violence, with his former partner currently under investigation by WA Police.

He alleged she had repeatedly contacted him and demanded money from him after learning he was in a polyamorous relationship.

Two days after receiving the letter, Shoebridge said he took the concerns in the letter “extremely seriously” and had accepted Steele-John’s request for leave.

“This matter needs to be resolved via a fair and independent review that ensures all parties are entitled to natural justice and procedural fairness,” he said in a statement.

The WA Greens have commissioned an investigation into the allegations in the letter.

Steele-John said he welcomed the opportunity to participate in the probe and that it should be investigated fairly and thoroughly.

“Alongside legitimate observations about politics, power dynamics and the barriers that prevent victims of violence from seeking justice, the letter refers to three matters,” he said.

“It does not set out any allegations in detail; it says the authors are aware that allegations exist.”

Steele-John blamed the letter on “factionalism”, describing it as an attempt to “influence forthcoming party preselections by deliberately leaking out-of-context or misleading information to smear potential candidates and myself”.

“I do not know who signed this letter, and I suspect many did so out of a genuine commitment to people who experience violence. I share that commitment,” he said.

“That is exactly why I am so angry that it has been used this way.”

On Friday, one signatory on the letter said she was among women who were warned not to be alone with Steele-John.

“I would like to see accountability, not only from Jordon Steele-John, but accountability from anyone that has enabled this, anyone that has known about this and participated either actively or passively in covering it up,” she said.

Steele-John is the Greens spokesperson for disability and mental health and led the party’s unsuccessful campaign against Labor’s cuts to the NDIS in August.