Australian Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has rejected allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women and accused his party of “nasty political games”. He made the denial in an online post on Sunday, several days after the claims emerged.
The claims surfaced last Thursday, when Greens leader David Shoebridge said the 32-year-old had taken leave from the party room. That followed a letter from seven current and former members, which said Steele-John faced “multiple allegations” of misconduct between 2017 and 2025. Steele-John said he was not on leave.
Steele-John questions timing and the party’s handling
Steele-John, who has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, was first elected to the Senate in Western Australia in November 2017. In his letter responding to the claims, he said his nickname, “Feels on wheels”, originally referred to his emotion while advocating for disability rights, but had since taken on a “more sinister meaning” tied to alleged mistreatment of women.
He accused Shoebridge of mishandling the matter. He argued that the letter’s timing was no coincidence, as it arrived the day after the two sides agreed on a timeline for the next preselection ahead of the federal election.
Party dossier and police decision on assault claim
Days after the letter was sent, local media reported that the party had compiled a 47-page dossier years earlier. It listed several allegations against Steele-John and outlined how to manage media coverage if they became public.
Steele-John said the document was intended to stop the media from “bombard”ing the two women at the centre of the claims, and that neither had made a complaint. On a sexual assault claim, he said police investigating the matter had closed the case and laid no charges.
He acknowledged that the allegations would have “damaged” public trust in him. He said he was “committed to rebuilding that by acting with as much transparency and accountability as I can”.
Referral to standards commission and internal probe
An internal party probe has been launched into the allegations. Shoebridge’s office has confirmed that the matter was referred to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.
