NDIS scrutiny proceeds without Steele-John as Greens deadlock deepens

Senate estimates on the National Disability Insurance Scheme will proceed this week without Greens senator Jordon Steele-John, the party’s disability spokesperson. In a statement released late Friday, Steele-John confirmed he would not attend the questioning of officials. He noted that he explored joining the session digitally but was told that format was also unacceptable. Instead, he plans to focus on the independent investigation he expects the Western Australian Greens to commence soon.

The absence leaves a gap in the party’s representation on a major policy area. The NDIS is scheduled for significant structural changes before the end of the decade. Steele-John is well regarded within the disability community, making his absence a notable disruption for those groups and their advocates.

The dispute stems from allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women that were reported to have occurred between 2017 and 2025. The Nine newspapers first reported that a three-page letter demanding an independent probe had been sent to Greens leader David Shoebridge earlier this month. The letter cited secondhand accounts from the Western Australian senator.

Shoebridge initially announced that Steele-John would take leave while the probe was conducted. However, Steele-John rejected the allegations and denied agreeing to step away. He accused a faction of the WA Greens of playing nasty political games by releasing the letter to the media. He stated that he spoke out because he did not want his silence to be interpreted as guilt.

Shoebridge maintains that an agreement was reached, but he admits he cannot force the senator to comply on his own. Under party rules, a secret ballot requiring two-thirds of the party room, or more than seven members, to vote for expulsion would be necessary to mandate his leave. This threshold has not yet been met, leaving the party room weighing its next move.

The situation poses a leadership test for Shoebridge, who took office earlier this month. The Greens typically rely on consensus for decisions, making a forced leave vote a rare and potentially divisive action. Whether the allegations were raised for advantage in state pre-selection remains a point of discussion, though rumors have followed the senator throughout his time in office.