An Australian Greens senator has denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women and accused his party of “nasty political games”, days after the claims emerged.
Last Thursday, Greens leader David Shoebridge said Senator Jordon Steele-John, 32, had taken leave from the party room after a letter from seven current and former members said he had been accused of “multiple allegations” of misconduct between 2017 and 2025.
In an online post on Sunday, the senator denied the claims and said he was not on leave. On a sexual assault claim, he said police investigating the matter had closed the case and no charges were laid.
An internal party probe has been launched into the allegations.
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, Steele-John said his nickname – “Feels on wheels” – initially referred to him being emotional when advocating for disability rights but had since taken on a “more sinister meaning” about his alleged mistreatment of women.
He accused Shoebridge of mishandling the matter and questioned the timing of the letter, saying “it is no coincidence” that the allegations were sent to the leader “the day after we agreed on the timeline for the next preselection” ahead of the next federal election.
Days after the letter with the claims was sent to Shoebridge, local media reported that the party had created a 47-page dossier years earlier that listed a number of allegations against Steele-John and how to manage media coverage if they emerged.
Steele-John said the dossier was made so that the media would not “bombard” the two women at the centre of those claims and that neither woman had made a complaint.
He acknowledged the allegations against him would have “damaged” the public’s trust in him and said he was “committed to rebuilding that by acting with as much transparency and accountability as I can”.
Shoebridge’s office confirmed that the allegations had been referred to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission.
A spokesperson for Shoebridge said the leader still believed “leave is appropriate under the circumstances” and taking leave would not influence the internal party investigation.
