Shoebridge denies leader’s office used Greens dossier on Steele-John allegations

Australian Greens leader David Shoebridge denied on 16 October that his office made, used or saw a reported crisis communications dossier about allegations concerning Senator Jordon Steele-John. The denial followed reporting on the document by The Sydney Morning Herald and an acknowledgment by the WA Greens that an internal communications document about the matter had been given to the media. The dispute raises questions about how the party handled complaints concerning the Western Australian senator.

What the WA Greens document reportedly contained

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the 47-page document was first drafted in 2016 and updated in subsequent years. It said the document set out responses to potential media coverage of allegations about Steele-John and instructed staff to monitor social media discussions and screenshot comments by party members. The newspaper attributed its account of the document’s use to four former Greens staffers who said it was used by the WA branch and the national leader’s office.

Shoebridge’s denial and Steele-John’s response

Shoebridge’s office said the document was not ‘made by, used by, or seen by’ the leader’s office, according to The Guardian Australia. That account conflicts with what the former staffers told the Herald about its use. Shoebridge told the ABC he had been unaware of both the document and the allegations.

Seven active Greens members wrote to Shoebridge seeking an independent investigation, the Herald reported. According to the ABC, their letter did not set out specific allegations; Shoebridge said its authors did not claim direct knowledge of the matters. Steele-John has rejected the allegations, saying in a statement reported by the Herald that he utterly rejected their characterisation and that claims had been made without specifics. He took leave from the party room on 15 October, the Herald reported.

How the complaints will be examined

The Guardian reported that Shoebridge had referred the matter to the independent parliamentary standards commission. The WA Greens said they would seek legal advice on establishing an independent inquiry. Steele-John referred the complaints to the WA Greens for a fair, independent process; Shoebridge said the senator would not return to parliament until independent investigations were completed.