Jordan Steele-John hits back after he was accused of inappropriate behaviour around women – and explains where his ‘Feels on Wheels’ nickname really came from

Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has launched an extraordinary attack on his own party leadership, accusing newly elected Greens leader David Shoebridge of pressuring him to take leave and of mishandling allegations made against him.

In a lengthy open letter released on Sunday, Steele-John rejected claims about his conduct and blamed a ‘political clique’ within the Western Australian Greens for orchestrating a campaign against him.

The 32-year-old claimed he had become the target of ‘nasty political games’ within the Greens, accusing a ‘political clique’ of attempting to damage his reputation ahead of future preselections. 

Steele-John’s statement also addressed several claims that have circulated around Canberra and within Greens circles.

One involved the derogatory nickname ‘feels on wheels’, which Shoebridge was repeatedly questioned about during a press conference on Thursday.

He claimed the phrase originally emerged after he became emotional while speaking about disability issues and the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of Disabled People.

”Feels on wheels’ is a name that members of other parties started using to refer to me after I became emotional early in my career while giving speeches about the Royal Commission,’ he wrote.

He said the nickname later evolved into something more sinister.

‘Eventually, I was informed that this phrase, which mocked my disability and my emotions, had taken on a new, more sinister meaning: that I had treated women inappropriately.  

In his letter, Steele-John declared that he was never actually placed on leave, despite public statements suggesting otherwise.

‘I am not on leave and did not agree to the inclusion of that line within David’s statement,’ Steele-John wrote.

‘The Leader of the Australian Greens doesn’t have the power to place a Greens MP on leave from Parliament, the party or the formal Party Room.’

 Steele-John said Shoebridge had repeatedly pressured him to stand aside as the story was about to break.

‘I very much understand the tremendous scrutiny David was under in his first week in Parliament as leader, and I have compassion for that. I also feel that he let me and my team down,’ Steele-John wrote.

‘On the morning the story was about to break, we had a series of meetings about how we would respond.’ 

‘I feel that he used those meetings to repeatedly pressure me to say that I would take leave.’

The public broadside comes after seven Greens members wrote to Shoebridge demanding an investigation into what they described as multiple allegations concerning Steele-John between 2017 and 2025.

The signatories claimed concerns about the senator had circulated within the Greens and beyond the party. 

The allegations prompted Shoebridge to announce Steele-John would step away from the federal party room while an independent investigation was established.

The senator repeatedly suggested the complaints process had been weaponised as part of an internal factional battle linked to future preselection contests.

‘It is my opinion that this is an attempt to influence forthcoming party preselections by deliberately leaking out of context or misleading information to smear potential candidates and myself,’ he wrote.

‘That is not accountability. It is factionalism, and it has no place in the Greens.’

Steele-John also addressed allegations relating to a 2024 Greens campaign event, saying he had not been provided with any details and therefore could not properly respond.

‘I’m really concerned to read this,’ Steele-John wrote.

‘No details were provided in the letter, so unfortunately, at this point, I don’t know how I could respond.’

Steele-John also commented on a 2025 complaint alleging serious sexual misconduct.

Steele-John said the complaint stemmed from a relationship with a woman whom he alleges later became abusive after learning about his current partner in what he described as a ‘polyamorous’ relationship.

‘When I ended things, she refused to accept that there wasn’t ‘someone else’,’ he wrote.

‘My new relationship, which is polyamorous, was not the reason for the breakup.’

He claimed the woman sent more than 700 messages and demanded $12,000 through what he described as an ‘invoice’ for companionship and care services.

According to Steele-John, the dispute later resulted in a sexual assault complaint being made to police.

‘The report made to the police was of sexual assault,’ he wrote.

‘This is just not true.’

Steele-John said he voluntarily participated in a police interview and was ultimately informed no charges would be laid.

‘After that, I was informed that the investigation was closed with a finding of no charges,’ he said.

The senator also disclosed he had obtained a protection order against the woman and said she remained under investigation by Western Australia’s family and domestic violence unit.