NDIS Estimates: Steele-John's Absence as Greens Weigh a Two-Thirds Vote

Jordon Steele-John will not be in the room when senators question officials about the National Disability Insurance Scheme next week. The 32-year-old Western Australian is the party's disability spokesperson, and the agency he scrutinizes is due to undergo major changes before the decade ends.

The absence is the visible edge of a dispute that has run since early October, when Nine newspapers reported on a three-page letter sent to David Shoebridge. The letter called for an independent investigation into allegations, described as secondhand, that Steele-John acted inappropriately towards women between 2017 and 2025. Shoebridge, who took the federal Greens leadership earlier this month, announced the senator would take leave while a probe examined the claims.

Steele-John rejected the allegations and said he never agreed to step aside. He accused a faction within the WA Greens of playing "nasty political games" by releasing the letter to the media, and said he spoke publicly because he did not want silence to be read as guilt. In a statement issued late on Friday, he said he had looked into taking part digitally but had "been informed that would also be unacceptable". He said he would instead focus on "the independent and timely investigation I hope is soon commenced by the Greens WA".

Shoebridge maintains that Steele-John agreed to leave, but he cannot order it alone. Only a secret ballot, with more than seven members of the party room voting to expel him, would compel compliance. Shoebridge would need that backing to pursue expulsion, a step the party considers drastic. A two-thirds vote to expel Steele-John would require more than seven members of the Greens party room.

No complainant has come forward directly with an allegation. Whether adversaries of Steele-John raised the claims in connection with pre-selection in Western Australia is also unresolved, and Steele-John has said the rumours accompanying him in office are malicious.

The party's internal rules require consensus decisions, and Shoebridge cannot force a senator to step aside without the party room's support. A secret ballot in which more than seven members voted to expel him would be needed to compel Steele-John to take leave.

Steele-John said he would focus on the investigation he hopes the Greens WA commences soon. He will not attend the coming week of Senate estimates, when senators question officials about government policy.