Senate Estimates: Steele-John absent from NDIS questioning as party deadlock continues

Jordon Steele-John will not attend the upcoming Senate estimates session.

The Greens senator, who serves as the party's disability spokesperson, confirmed his absence in a statement released late Friday. He explained that he explored participating digitally but was told that option was also unacceptable. Instead, he said he will focus on the independent investigation conducted by the Western Australian branch of the party.

His absence leaves a gap in the questioning of officials regarding the National Disability Insurance Scheme. The NDIS is scheduled for major structural changes before the end of the decade. Steele-John is well known in the disability community, making his missing presence a notable event for those groups watching the scrutiny process.

The dispute stems from allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women between 2017 and 2025. These claims were detailed in a three-page letter sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge earlier this month. The letter called for an independent probe. Shoebridge initially announced that the 32-year-old senator would take leave while the investigation took place.

Steele-John rejected the narrative that he had agreed to step aside. He denied the allegations and accused an internal faction of the WA Greens of playing political games by releasing the letter to the media. He stated that he spoke publicly to prevent his silence from being interpreted as guilt. Shoebridge maintains that the senator agreed to leave but concedes he cannot force the decision alone.

Forcing the senator to take leave requires a secret ballot in which two-thirds of the party room vote to expel him. This threshold means more than seven members must agree. Such a move would be drastic, even if the state-level investigation clears Steele-John. His standing within the party would still be damaged by the process.

The situation tests Shoebridge's leadership as he navigates the party's consensus-based decision-making structure. No complainant has directly come forward, though rumors have followed the senator throughout his time in office. The final decision on his status will reflect on both the party's internal processes and its public response to misconduct.