Kiri Allan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable Kiri Allan
Allan in 2019
51st Minister of Justice
In office 14 June 2022 – 24 July 2023
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Kris Faafoi
Succeeded by	Ginny Andersen
Minister for Regional Development
In office 1 February 2023 – 24 July 2023
Prime Minister	Chris Hipkins
Preceded by	Stuart Nash (as Minister for Economic and Regional Development)
Succeeded by	Kieran McAnulty
14th Minister of Conservation
In office 6 November 2020 – 14 June 2022
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Eugenie Sage
Succeeded by	Poto Williams
27th Minister for Emergency Management
In office 6 November 2020 – 14 June 2022
Prime Minister	Jacinda Ardern
Preceded by	Peeni Henare
Succeeded by	Kieran McAnulty
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for East Coast
In office 17 October 2020 – 14 October 2023
Preceded by	Anne Tolley
Succeeded by	Dana Kirkpatrick
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Labour party list
In office 23 September 2017 – 17 October 2020
Personal details
Born	Kiritapu Lyndsay Allan 1984 (age 40–41) Te Karaka, New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Spouse	Natalie Coates ​ ​ (m. 2016; div. 2022)​
Children	1
Profession	Lawyer

Kiritapu Lyndsay Allan (born in 1984) is a New Zealand lawyer and former politician. She was a member of Parliament (MP) in the New Zealand House of Representatives from 2017 to 2023. She represented the Labour Party for the East Coast area.

Allan served as a minister in the government led by Jacinda Ardern and later by Chris Hipkins. She was the Minister for Emergency Management and Minister of Conservation from November 2020 to June 2022. She then became Minister of Justice from June 2022 until July 2023. In July 2023, she resigned from her roles after an incident involving her car.

Early Life and Education

Kiri Allan was born in Te Karaka, New Zealand. She is from the Māori tribes of Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāti Tūwharetoa. She was the ninth of ten children in her family. As a baby, she was raised by her aunt and uncle, Gail and David Allan, in Paengaroa. Her family worked as cleaners and in agriculture.

Allan moved to Auckland when she was 10 years old. She attended Auckland Girls’ Grammar in the Māori language unit. At 16, she left high school and started working at a fast-food restaurant. She also joined a workers' union. Later, she worked picking cherries in Blenheim.

She returned to Auckland and began studying Māori language and culture at Unitec. The next year, she enrolled at Victoria University of Wellington to study law and politics. She decided to study law after getting advice from a law professor. She joined the Labour Party because her politics lecturer suggested it would help her understand how politics works. During her university studies, she gained experience by interning with Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Legal Career

After finishing her law degree, Kiri Allan worked as a judge's clerk. She then joined a law firm called ChenPalmer for two years. Later, she worked at Kāhui Legal, a special law firm that focuses on issues related to Māori development in Whakatāne. She worked there before becoming a candidate for the Labour Party in 2017.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Kiri Allan first ran for Parliament in the East Coast area in the 2017 election. She was also placed 21st on Labour's party list, which is a way for parties to get more members into Parliament. Even though she came second in her local election, she became an MP through the party list. In her first speech in Parliament in November 2017, Allan shared a poem she had written when she first saw the Beehive, which is the main building for the New Zealand Parliament.

In her first term as an MP, Allan was part of important committees, including the finance and spending committee. She also became a junior whip for the Labour Party, helping to organize her party's votes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she joined the Epidemic Response Committee. She also led Labour's group focused on rural issues.

In 2018, she started a political podcast called Authorised By with another MP, Chlöe Swarbrick. They wanted to help everyday New Zealanders understand politics better. By the end of that year, Allan was seen as a strong new MP and someone who might become a minister in the future.

Ministerial Roles and Key Work

Electoral portrait, 2020

After the 2020 general election, Kiri Allan was promoted to a Cabinet minister. On November 2, 2020, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that Allan would become the Minister for Conservation and Minister for Emergency Management. She also took on other roles related to arts, culture, heritage, and the environment.

Allan became well-known in early 2021 when she led press conferences about tsunami warnings after strong earthquakes. Her calm and clear way of communicating was praised, especially because it was later revealed she had received a serious health diagnosis on the same day. She took three months off for treatment and later announced she was healthy again.

As Conservation Minister, Allan helped continue a program called "Jobs for Nature," which created jobs related to protecting nature. She also worked on the government's plan to protect New Zealand's diverse plants and animals. As Minister for Emergency Management, she worked on updating laws to improve how New Zealand responds to emergencies. As an Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, she helped create a new law that made Matariki, a Māori celebration, a public holiday starting in 2022.

In June 2022, Allan's roles changed, and she became the Minister of Justice. She also joined a group of ministers focused on the economy. When Jacinda Ardern resigned as Prime Minister in January 2023, Allan was considered as a possible new leader for the Labour Party. However, she chose not to run and instead supported Chris Hipkins, who became the new Prime Minister. Under Hipkins, Allan continued as Justice Minister and was also appointed Minister for Regional Development. She played a key role in helping regions affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

As Justice Minister, Allan was very active in creating new laws. She worked on changes to election rules, making it easier for New Zealanders living overseas to vote, and changes to the Maori Electoral Option. She also worked on changes to the justice system, including increasing access to legal aid. Allan also led discussions on topics like the sale of alcohol and rules about lobbying.

In July 2023, Kiri Allan resigned from all her ministerial roles. This decision followed concerns about her work environment and an incident involving her car. She also decided not to run for re-election in the 2023 general election. In September 2023, Allan was given the special title The Honourable for life, recognizing her service as a minister.

Personal Life

Kiri Allan married Natalie Coates in 2016. They had a baby just before the 2017 election. Allan brought her baby to Parliament, which was a notable event. Allan and Coates divorced in May 2022.

In April 2021, Allan announced she was taking time off from Parliament for medical reasons. She encouraged others to get regular health checks. In 2022, Allan became engaged to Māni Dunlop, a radio presenter, but they later separated in 2023. In June 2023, Allan took leave from Parliament for personal reasons.

After leaving Parliament, Allan announced in October 2023 that she is writing a book. She also started her own company that helps people connect with politicians and government.

Images for kids

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  Allan in 2019

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  Electoral portrait, 2020