In the letter, the signatories say they are aware of "multiple allegations" against Steele-John between 2017 and 2025, all concerning "his behaviour in the presence of women." They say women who have taken up roles or volunteered in the party have been warned not to be alone with him, and that these warnings have come "from inside and outside the party."
The signatories include five current and former staffers and two active branch members. The newspapers reporting the story know the authors' identities but have chosen not to name them to protect their privacy and, in some cases, their current employment.
Shoebridge announced Steele-John was taking leave from the Greens party room in response to inquiries from reporters. It was not clear whether the leave also extended to parliament.
Steele-John said he "utterly reject[s] this characterisation of me, which tries to assert I am someone I am not." He said he had referred the matter to the WA Greens "so that a fair, independent process can be commissioned that upholds the principles of natural justice and ensures procedural fairness for everyone involved."
"These claims are made without specifics, any allegation of this nature is extremely serious and must be treated accordingly," he said. "In the one complaint of which I have been made aware, I am the person who experienced family violence."