Greens senator accused of making inappropriate comments takes leave

WA Senator Jordon Steele-John has taken leave from the Greens partyroom following allegations of inappropriate comments made to women. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that seven party members sent a letter to Greens leader David Shoebridge on Tuesday night regarding multiple allegations spanning almost a decade. These allegations concern the senator's behavior in the presence of women, and ABC News AU reported that some women who have volunteered or taken roles in the party have been warned not to be alone with him.

Steele-John stated that he utterly rejects the characterization of him and noted that the claims have been made without specifics. According to The Guardian, Steele-John has referred the matter to the Western Australian Greens to ensure a fair, independent process that upholds the principles of natural justice.

Greens leader David Shoebridge confirmed he has accepted Steele-John's request for leave. Shoebridge stated that the party takes such concerns extremely seriously and said the matter must be resolved via a fair and independent review. ABC News AU reported that Shoebridge's office has consulted with the WA Greens and the Parliamentary Workplace Support Service.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Guardian Australia, The Guardian, ABC News AU — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.