Scott’s successor to stay silent as Greens try to block media from Ludlam’s replacement
Hey, WA, meet your potential new Greens senator. The Weekend Australian, Saturday:
University student Jordon Steele-John, 22, who has cerebral palsy, has been touted as the frontrunner to take the now-vacant seat.
He seems like a very impressive young man. Fremantle Herald, June 14, 2013:
Jordon Steele-John is not your average teenager. Suffering cerebral palsy and wheelchair-bound, he is on the board of People With a Disability WA and is already a political veteran, having contested Warnbro for the Greens at the March state election.
But the Greens don’t want any pesky reporters talking to Steele-John. The party’s statement to the media on Friday:
Until such time as the Court of Disputed Returns orders a recount of the ballot and there is a new Senator-elect, we ask the media respects Mr Steele-John’s privacy.
For once, Cut and Paste agrees with Fairfax’s Canberra bureau chief, Bevan Shields. Twitter, Saturday:
Absurd request! This guy ran for public office and is a likely new senator.
As Bevan says, this dude actually ran on the Greens’ WA Senate ticket last year. Daily Telegraph, Saturday:
The Greens in WA will then recount the ballot and their third candidate, Jordon Steele-John, a 22-year-old university student, will be approached to take the seat.
A ticket that got a lot of money from taxpayers last year. Australian Electoral Commission website, last updated July 27 last year:
Australian Greens — $6,337,258.36
He’s so keen on parliamentary politics that he ran again, right after losing the 2016 federal election. WA Greens’ website:
Jordon Steele-John is The Greens (WA) 2nd Upper House Candidate for the South Metropolitan region in the 2017 WA election.
He has the distinct advantage of having already renounced his foreign citizenship. The Weekend Australian, Saturday:
Mr Steele-John ... had to give up his British citizenship to run for parliament in 2013.
Could it be that he just doesn’t want the gig? Steele-John’s statement to The Weekend West, Saturday:
One of the possible ways forward after Scott’s resignation is a countback from the last election, which could in theory put me in the position of having to decide whether or not to accept that role.
Or do the Greens want to keep quiet while they find someone else? Daily Telegraph, Saturday:
The Saturday Telegraph understands Mr Steele-John is already under pressure not to accept the role, with the Greens keen for two other candidates to fill the spot — former Fremantle candidate Kate Davis and Greens convener Christine Cunningham.
Either way, it won’t be Scott Ludlam’s problem. Speaking in Fremantle, Friday:
I’ll find some other way of stirring up trouble.
If he could “stir up” the money he owes the Australian people, that’d be great too. The Weekend Australian, Saturday:
Mr Ludlam could not be certain yesterday whether he would be pursued for his wages plus entitlements, and possibly the wages of his staff, since he illegitimately entered parliament in 2008.