David Shoebridge, leader of Australia's Greens party, has denied any knowledge of a 47-page crisis management document reportedly created to handle misconduct allegations against Western Australian Greens senator Jordon Steele-John.
Shoebridge stated the document was not "made by, used by, or seen by" his office, according to The Guardian. The denial came after Nine newspapers reported Friday on the existence of what they described as a "secret dossier," initially drafted in 2016, that contained misconduct allegations against Steele-John and strategies for suppressing media coverage of those allegations.
Shoebridge said the matter had been referred to the parliamentary standards commission.
The Nine newspapers report marks the public emergence of the document, which had previously remained undisclosed. The dossier's contents, timing and circulation within the Greens party structure remain matters of dispute. Shoebridge's statement that his office did not create, use or see the document does not address whether other party officials possessed or acted on it.