13 Sep 2023

Former justice minister Kiri Allan pleads not guilty to refusing to accompanying police

12:50 pm on 13 September 2023
Justice Minister Kiri Allan makes a law and order announcement on 19 July, 2023.

Kiri Allan. File photo Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver

Former Justice Minister Kiri Allan is pleading not guilty to a charge of refusing to accompany an enforcement officer after crashing her car in Wellington.

Allan was charged with careless driving and refusing to accompany a police officer, in July after crashing a ministerial car in Wellington.

Allan's case was due to be called in the Wellington District Court tomorrow but a registrar confirmed to RNZ that the case had been administratively adjourned.

It is the second time the case has been delayed.

The court has now confirmed she entered a not guilty plea through her lawyer.

The case has been adjourned until early November.

Allan resigned from all her portfolios after the crash on Evans Bay Parade in Roseneath on 23 July.

In a statement, she said after taking time off to address a number of personal difficulties she had believed she "was okay to juggle those challenges with the pressure of being a minister" but accepted that wasn't the case, and had let herself and colleagues down.

She later confirmed she would not seek re-election for the East Coast electorate.

In a post on social media she said being the representative for the East Coast had been the greatest privilege of her life but her actions had let everyone down.

She wrote that she needed time to heal and chart a new course for her life.

Allan had only recently returned to full ministerial duties after taking some time away from Parliament due in part to a relationship break-up.

While she was taking a few days of mental health leave, separate allegations were reported regarding her treatment of staff, which she strongly denied. She then took another two weeks off over Parliament's recess.