KIRI ALLAN; WORKPLACE; YELLING; ALLEGATIONS
5 JULY 2023
New Zealand's justice minister Kiri Allan has had a tumultuous few weeks. The East Coast MP has been accused of workplace bullying by a number of anonymous sources, and has revealed a relationship breakup and mental health struggles.
In this BALANCER, we bring together what's been reported about Kiri Allan, what we actually know as fact, and see who - if anyone - has put their names to the allegations which have dominated the headlines and New Zealand politics.
INTRODUCTION
Kiritapu Lyndsay Allan is a member of the New Zealand parliament.
She is the Minister of Justice, the Minister for Regional Development, and represents the East Coast electorate which she won in 2020.
And for the past week or so she has been at the centre of a media storm over allegations of workplace bullying.
It may well be that there is basis to the allegations and that Allan's workplace demands have been excessive. But right now (in the public sphere at least) there is no proof.
What we DO have are allegations:
THE REPORTING OF THE ALLEGATIONS
A staffer who'd been seconded to work in Allan's office reportedly left their position early, because of concerns about "working relationships".
The staffer's boss took those concerns to the Department of Internal Affairs.
She said "no further concerns were subsequently brought to my attention, and I understand relationships improved."
Allan responded by saying said she had "never had any formal allegations made against me in any way, shape, or form".
"I can be a fair bit of fun. I can be pretty passionate... I'm from the regions we do things a little bit differently, but I think I'm fair, I think I have clear expectations and when those aren't met, I’m clear about those as well."
Opposition MP Simeon Brown had previously made an Official Information Act request to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) regarding Allan.
He asked for documents and correspondence about her “behaviour or conduct”. One text message was withheld, on the grounds of "free and frank" exchange of opinions within government.
A "senior public servant, with decades of experience" claimed Allan yelled and screamed at them over the phone, and that they also saw her "absolutely berate" another official for 20 minutes.
Another "former senior official with a long history of public service" said "basically low trust and respect of public servants was [the] issue"
READING PAST THE HEADLINES
THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION ALSO APPEARED FURTHER DOWN IN THE ARTICLES ON KIRI ALLAN:
- The "mystery text" was sourced to the Deputy CEO of MBIE Robert Pigou, who said the text “does not express concerns about staff working in the office and therefore no follow-up action was needed.”
- Pigou also said "I have no concerns with these discussions around culture and treatment of staff in Minister Allan’s office and if there were and these were shared with me, I would take the appropriate action to action this."
- Allan said in a further statement: "No complaints have ever been taken up with MBIE or myself and certainly nothing that resembles these allegations."
WHO ARE THE ACCUSERS, AND WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THEM?
WE DON'T KNOW, AND VERY LITTLE
- The staffer who left their secondment is unknown and left their position more than a year ago. It was their boss who raised concerns on their behalf, and who subsequently understood that workplace relations improved.
- Beyond the generic phrase 'concerns about working relationships', there is no information about what behaviour Allan is being specifically accused of.
- The public servant and senior official who made allegations are said to both be very experienced, but are also both unknown. There is no suggestion that either of them have made any formal complaints.
- The only person to put their name to anything is the CEO of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). Dave Gawn made no allegation but said he "was aware of concerns regarding relationships in the minister's office, and that he understood action was taken to address these concerns."
TRIAL BY MEDIA
WHERE THERE's SMOKE, THERE'S OFTEN FIRE - BUT WHO LIT THE FIRE, AND WHO'S FANNING THE FLAMES?
Without any proof, if will be difficult to get to the bottom of the allegations made against Kiri Allan.
It is something of a 'he-said-she-said-they-overheard' with one side making allegations and the other denying them.
Perhaps the bigger problem however is that (in lieu of any formal complaints or subsequent investigations) there is a 'trial by media' - one year after the alleged events, and a little over three months out from a general election.
And that 'trial' can mean any or all of the following:
- No scrutiny of those making the allegations, their motivations, or their own behaviour;
- A reliance on the journalist to share all the relevant information (not just what they deem to be relevant) and trust that they have no agenda or motive either;
- Reputational damage, which may end up being unwarranted;
- A loss of job or position because the allegations have become too much of a distraction.
When talking about any sort of allegations, it's always important to remember just what the word means:
RED FLAGS OR RED HERRINGS?
As well as being an MP, Kiri Allan is Māori, gay, a mother, and was previously in a relationship with a high-profile broadcaster.
And in some of the reporting, and a lot of the social media reaction, these facts have been continually raised and re-raised.
But there has to be a question over relevance.
Some say that her gender, race, and sexuality are reasons for the relentless public 'pile-on', but in truth there is little or nothing to support that. People can (and will) align anything if they look or believe hard enough.
But her relationship, the subsequent breakup, and previous comments she'd made when her former partner resigned from RNZ are often brought up as side-notes without relevance or context.
And it only serves to create and add to a confused picture of what's really happening.