Steele-John Skips NDIS Estimates Amid Leave Dispute

Senate estimates begin this week, and the Greens will enter the session without their disability spokesperson. Jordon Steele-John confirmed his absence in a statement released late Friday, ending speculation about his participation in the upcoming inquiry into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

Steele-John said he explored attending the session digitally but was told by officials that remote participation was also unacceptable. He stated he will instead focus on the independent investigation he hopes the Western Australian branch of the Greens will commence soon.

The decision comes more than a week after The Nine newspapers reported a three-page letter sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge. That letter called for an independent probe into secondhand allegations that Steele-John acted inappropriately toward women between 2017 and 2025. Shoebridge initially announced that the 32-year-old senator would take leave while the claims were examined.

Steele-John subsequently rejected the allegations and denied agreeing to take leave. He accused an internal faction of the WA Greens of playing "nasty political games" by releasing the letter to the media. He said he spoke publicly to prevent his silence from being interpreted as guilt. Shoebridge maintains that Steele-John agreed to the leave but concedes he cannot compel the senator to do so unilaterally.

Forcing the senator to stand aside requires a secret ballot in which two-thirds of the party room votes to expel him. This threshold means more than seven members must vote in favor. Such a step would be drastic and would damage Steele-John's standing even if the independent investigation clears him.

The absence creates a gap in parliamentary scrutiny of the NDIS, a policy area facing major changes before the end of the decade. Steele-John is described as well liked in the disability community. The party's inability to secure his attendance highlights the internal friction over how to handle the misconduct claims.

The resolution of the matter will serve as an early test for Shoebridge's leadership. The Greens rely on consensus decision-making, and Shoebridge would need broad support from the party room to pursue expulsion. The process is fraught politically and legally, with no clear winners expected.