Greens Party Room Needs Seven Votes to Compel Steele-John's Leave

David Shoebridge cannot force Jordon Steele-John to leave parliament without a two-thirds vote of the Greens party room. That threshold requires more than seven members to back expulsion in a secret ballot. Shoebridge has said the 32-year-old agreed to take leave while an independent probe examines claims of inappropriate conduct towards women between 2017 and 2025. Steele-John has rejected the allegations and denied agreeing to step aside.

The allegations surfaced earlier this month, when Nine newspapers reported that a three-page letter had reached Shoebridge calling for an independent investigation. The letter cited secondhand accounts of the senator's conduct.

Shoebridge then announced that Steele-John would take leave pending an independent examination. Within days, Steele-John disputed that account. He accused an internal faction of the WA Greens of releasing the letter to the media and speaking publicly because he did not want his silence to be read as guilt.

The dispute has kept Steele-John out of the current round of Senate estimates. He is the party's disability spokesperson, and the NDIS is due to undergo major changes before the end of the decade. In a statement issued late on Friday, he said he had explored taking part digitally but had "been informed that would also be unacceptable". He said he would instead focus on "the independent and timely investigation I hope is soon commenced by the Greens WA".

No complainant has come forward directly with allegations against the senator. Steele-John has called the claims "nasty political games" and said the rumours are malicious.

The Greens WA independent investigation has not commenced. Shoebridge has said he cannot compel the senator to stand aside without the party room's backing.