New Zealand Justice Minister Kiri Allan has filed his resignation after he was criminally charged with reckless driving resulting in a car crash.
In a statement, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said that the justice minister was involved in a car crash in the nation's capital of Wellington on Sunday evening and was detained by law enforcement personnel for several hours. He noted that police have charged Allan with careless driving and refusing to accompany a police officer.
New Zealand Justice Minister Resigns
The prime minister also noted the police's report that the justice minister was tested and found to be over the legal alcohol limit but was not charged with drunk driving. Law enforcement authorities said they issued the official an infringement notice about a breath test.
Following the arrest and criminal charges, the justice minister has not yet announced a court date. If Allan is found guilty, she could face fines and a suspension of her driver's license, as per Fox News.
The New Zealand justice minister was previously considered a rising star of the Labour Party and had recently taken some time off for her mental health. This followed her involvement in a publicized split with her partner, and she is also facing accusations of having poor working relationships with some of her staff members.
On Monday, Hipkins spoke with the justice minister and told her she was not fit to remain in her position. He added that it was untenable for a justice minister to be charged with a criminal offense. Allan agreed with the prime minister and subsequently resigned from her ministerial role.
The prime minister also said that Allan is an "incredibly talented person" who he believes is battling against some demons. He noted that she had been experiencing extreme emotional distress during the car crash.
The situation with Allan is the latest development in a series of missteps and scandals involving New Zealand's government ministers in less than three months following national elections. Recent polls have shown that the conservative opposition has broken even or has come out slightly ahead of the incumbent liberals in what many consider will be a close race, according to The Guardian.
Kiri Allan Criminally Charged Following Car Crash
In a statement responding to the incident, Allan apologized and said she was going home to consider her future in the country's politics. She said that she faced many personal difficulties in the last few weeks. However, the justice minister acknowledged that her actions during the car crash showed that she was not okay and had let her colleagues and herself down.
The incident follows Transport and Immigration Minister Michael Wood's resignation in June over his alleged failure to disclose a potential conflict of interest in stock ownership. A month before that, Customs Minister Meka Whaitiri decided to change sides and join another party.
New Zealand Police Minister Stuart Nash was also fired four months ago, in March, after authorities discovered that he gave confidential information to donors, said BBC.
