New Zealand's female minister resigns, involved in drunk driving and motor vehicle accidents | Party leader | Minister
New Zealand Attorney General Kiri Allen resigned on the 24th, citing allegations that she "accidentally used a motor vehicle" to cause a car accident and refused to be escorted by police after the incident. She was also found to be suspected of drunk driving.
Prime Minister Chris Hopkins said that Allen will immediately resign from all cabinet positions because she was briefly detained by the police after a car accident in the capital city of Wellington the night before. "As the Minister of Justice, she was accused of illegal activities and understood that she was no longer suitable to continue in this position."
After 21:00 on the 23rd, Allen drove into a parked car and was detained for about four hours at the Central Police Station. After a breath test, it was found that his alcohol concentration exceeded the limit. However, she was not charged with drunk driving. The relevant trial date has not been determined yet. Once convicted, Allen will be fined and his driver's license will be temporarily suspended.
Alan has also resigned from his previous positions as Minister of Regional Development, Minister of Emergency Management, and Minister of Resource Protection. She took a leave of absence due to mental health issues before returning to her position as a member of parliament on the 17th. "In recent weeks, I have been facing multiple emotional troubles, so I took a leave to make adjustments. I thought my condition had returned to being able to cope with the challenges and pressure brought by the ministerial position. However, after yesterday's behavior, I realized that my condition was not good."
Since Hopkins took over as the leader and prime minister of the Labour Party from resigning Jacinda Aden in January this year, along with Allen, four cabinet members have resigned.
In March of this year, Stuart Nash was dismissed from his position as Minister of Police after being exposed for leaking confidential information to "financiers" and other scandals. In May, Mecca Whitiri, who also served as Minister of Customs, Food Safety, and Veterans Affairs, was expelled from the cabinet after transitioning from the Labour Party to the Maori Party. In June, Michael Wood, the Minister of Transportation and Immigration, had to resign due to allegations of concealing his stake at Auckland Airport.
The Labour government led by Hopkins is facing the question of whether it can maintain its governing position after the mid October parliamentary elections, even though it has lost its key players. Recent public opinion polls have shown that there is not much difference in support rates between the main opposition party, the National Party, and the Labour Party.