New Zealand justice minister quits after crashing car while over the limit for alcohol: ‘inexcusable’

Kiritapu ‘Kiri’ Allan said her position was now ‘untenable’ and she had told PM Chris Hipkins she was resigning from her position ‘immediately’

She was charged with careless use of a motor vehicle and refusing to accompany a police officer and returned an over-the-limit alcohol breath test

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New Zealand Justice Minister Kiritapu ‘Kiri’ Allan speaks in parliament on Tuesday last week. Photo: NZ Herald via AP

Published: 2:32pm, 24 Jul 2023

New Zealand’s justice minister resigned on Monday after being charged over a car crash, in a fresh setback for the government ahead of general elections in October.

Kiritapu ‘Kiri’ Allan said her position was now “untenable” and she had told Prime Minister Chris Hipkins she was resigning from her position “immediately”.

The justice minister was charged with careless use of a motor vehicle and refusing to accompany a police officer after the crash late on Sunday, the prime minister confirmed.

Police also issued an infringement notice to Allan for returning an alcohol breath test that was over the limit, Hipkins said. The minister was briefly held in police custody after the crash.

Allan (front left) walks with New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins (right) at parliament in Wellington on Wednesday last week. Photo: NZ Herald via AP

Further details about the collision were not immediately available.