Greens hold emergency meeting after david shoebridge responds to jordon steele john’s explosive statement
Reported by the Guardian · October 19, 2026
Dispute over leave
Shoebridge’s latest account differs from a statement he issued last Thursday. That earlier statement said Steele-John had requested leave from the party room and that Shoebridge had accepted it.
Statement prompts meeting
Steele-John released a lengthy statement on Sunday night, accusing an internal Greens faction of playing “nasty political games” and alleging Shoebridge pressured him to take leave. He denied any misconduct allegations.
Inquiry and allegations
Shoebridge’s statement said he wanted a fair, timely and independent process, with procedural fairness for everyone involved and key findings made public. The WA Greens are commissioning the inquiry.
Key points
- Shoebridge says he understood Steele-John had agreed to take leave during the investigation.
- Steele-John says he is not on leave and did not agree to stay away from parliament.
- Shoebridge called an emergency federal party meeting after Steele-John’s Sunday statement.
- The WA Greens are commissioning an inquiry into allegations reported by Nine newspapers.