The former partner of WA Greens senator Jordon Steele-John has been arrested and charged with aggravated stalking and attempted extortion, as an independent inquiry into allegations concerning the senator gets under way.
Western Australia Police said family violence investigation squad detectives charged the 40-year-old woman on Wednesday. She is due to appear in a Perth court on Thursday.
The arrest came on the same day the WA Greens announced its investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct involving Senator Steele-John, who is currently on leave from Parliament.
The woman’s relationship with the senator was referred to in a letter sent last month to Greens leader David Shoebridge by seven current and former party members and political staffers. They urged him to examine allegations about Senator Steele-John’s comments and behaviour towards women.
She previously accused the senator of removing a condom during sex without her consent, an act commonly known as stealthing. WA Police investigated that allegation but closed the inquiry without laying charges.
In a 2,400-word statement posted on Facebook, Senator Steele-John discussed the relationship and accused his former partner of abusive behaviour and sending hundreds of messages. She acknowledged having a “full-on meltdown” and sending a flurry of messages after learning he was seeing someone else, but denied harassment or making threats.
The woman criticised the senator for disclosing intimate details of their relationship and said she intended to participate in the Greens’ investigation.
WA Greens inquiry to examine handling of complaints
The inquiry is being led by Alison Humphry of Modern Legal. The party said people wishing to share information or their experiences could contact the investigator by November 11.
Its terms of reference describe the process as a workplace investigation focused on establishing the facts surrounding specific allegations of misconduct by Senator Steele-John. Ms Humphry will examine the timeline and nature of alleged harassment, abuse or inappropriate conduct, and consider whether the incidents were isolated or formed an ongoing pattern.
The inquiry will also assess whether any conduct breached parliamentary or party codes, and examine a crisis communications document relating to Senator Steele-John. It is further tasked with investigating how complaints were handled within the Greens, including whether people were directed away from formal reporting channels or discouraged from seeking redress.
An interim report on the allegations is expected after six weeks, with a final report scheduled after eight weeks.
In November 2025, Senator Steele-John obtained an interim family violence restraining order against the woman without her being present in court. It prohibited harassment, intimidation and communication, and required her to remain at least 10 metres away.
After she attempted to challenge the order, the pair reached an out-of-court settlement. In September 2026, they consented to a conduct agreement order mirroring the interim restrictions.
