Kiri Allan returns to the public eye with a new venture
Former Labour cabinet minister Kiri Allan, who resigned from her ministerial portfolios in July after crashing a ministerial car in Wellington and returning a breath test result over the legal limit, has launched her own consultancy business. The business, called KLA Consultancy, promises to provide strategic advice and solutions to clients on various issues, such as economic growth and regional development.
Allan, who was also charged with refusing to accompany an enforcement officer and careless driving, pleaded not guilty to the first charge in September, and the case has been adjourned until early November. She did not stand for re-election on the East Coast, where she had been the MP since 2020.
KLA Consultancy: “efficient and effective: solving your problems”
On the website of KLA Consultancy, Allan introduces herself as “a former Cabinet Minister and lawyer” who has “committed her professional life to finding solutions to some of the most complex situations”. She claims to have a “reputation for getting things done” and a “clear analytical and strategic thinker” who will provide “candid advice” to clients on how to get their projects across the line.
She also describes herself as a “chaos-tamer”, a leader, an effective decision maker and a catalyst for forward-looking change. The website states that Allan is ready to tackle any challenge and put clients on the path to success. The consultancy can help clients expand what is possible for their business.
Allan’s political career and personal challenges
Allan was one of the rising stars of the Labour Party, who was appointed as the Minister of Conservation and Emergency Management in November 2020. She also held the portfolios of Associate Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage and Associate Minister for the Environment.
She gained public admiration for her handling of the Whakaari/White Island eruption in 2019, when she was a parliamentary under-secretary, and for her openness about her diagnosis of stage 3 cervical cancer in April 2021. She underwent treatment and announced that she was cancer-free in June 2021.
However, her political career came to a halt when she crashed into a parked car on Evans Bay Parade in Wellington on July 27, 2021. She was arrested and charged with refusing to accompany police and careless driving. She resigned from her ministerial roles the next day, saying that she had made a “terrible error of judgement”. She also announced that she would not be contesting the East Coast seat in the 2023 election.
Allan’s future plans and aspirations
Allan told RNZ that the aim of her new business was to “help others to troubleshoot problems”. She said that it allowed her to have freedom in choosing what projects to take on, and enabled her to have time to think about where she wanted to add value in the future. She added that there was no rush to do that yet, and that she would play to her strengths and help out where she could on a project-by-project basis.
Allan also said that she was grateful for the support she had received from her family, friends and colleagues during her difficult times. She said that she was focused on rebuilding her life and looking after her health and wellbeing. She expressed hope that she could make a positive contribution to society again.
