Senator Absent From Parliament Amid Investigation Into Misconduct Claims

Jordon Steele-John will not attend Australian parliament next week. The Western Australian Greens senator confirmed the absence as he apologized for publicly sharing a confidential letter that detailed misconduct allegations against him. He denies all the claims.

The three-page document was sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge in early October. It outlined allegations that Steele-John behaved inappropriately toward women between 2017 and 2025. On Saturday afternoon, the senator removed a social media post containing the letter. He said he saw the full text circulating online and did not want to appear as if he were hiding from it.

Steele-John acknowledged that releasing the document may have been the wrong decision. He stated he was sorry for the additional stress it caused. The 32-year-old explained that he was told attending Senate estimates virtually was also unacceptable. He plans to focus on seeing the independent investigation through to its conclusion.

The senator pointed to a growing call for him to stay away from parliament. He argued a precedent had been set for keeping parliamentarians out after allegations are made. He noted that had a complaint been made directly against him, he would have taken the same action immediately.

His attendance for the rest of the year had been uncertain following a dispute with Shoebridge over his leave status. Shoebridge said he accepted Steele-John's request for leave last week. This decision followed a letter from seven party members urging an investigation. Steele-John denied agreeing to take leave.

The complaints are now part of an independent investigation commissioned by the Western Australian Greens. They have also been referred to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission. The letter, dated 13 October, described an allegation of sexual harassment at a 2024 campaign event. The alleged victim reportedly did not report it for fear of backlash. Another allegation referenced serious sexual misconduct in 2025, which police investigated and closed in May with no charges laid.

Steele-John rejected the allegations in a statement last Sunday. He accused an unofficial faction within the Western Australian branch of leaking the letter to remove him from the Senate. He described the move as nasty political games and insisted any claims about his behavior should be investigated fairly and thoroughly.