However, she had pleaded not guilty to the charge of failing to accompany a police officer to test an apparent grey area “based on the legal principle that all New Zealanders are entitled to consult with a lawyer”.
The statement said that on the evening in question, Allan had requested to speak to a lawyer immediately before and after her arrest by police.
“The police did not allow her to and the charge of failing to accompany arose following her unwillingness to accompany without the ability to speak to a lawyer, which she is now pleading not guilty to.”
Allan said there was a lack of certainty as to the point at which that right applied, according to a number of lawyers she had engaged who had both prosecution and defence experience. She said it seemed to be a grey area, which was not ideal when it came to exercising a fundamental human right.
Allan said taking the matter to a trial was not the easy option, given a guilty plea would typically result in a minor fine and potentially a period of licence suspension. It could also have been dealt with without her going to court in person.
“The route of taking the matter through the courts will be incredibly exposing, it will be costly, and it will require a personal attendance in the court. This is a significant decision to make and the sole focus in these circumstances is to ensure that both the police and New Zealanders have certainty about when the right to legal counsel is available.”
Allan said the law should be clear and accessible to all New Zealanders.
“This is particularly so when it comes to fundamental rights, contained in the Bill of Rights Act, which relates directly to the rights and liberties of all citizens of this country.
“Most New Zealanders would agree that both those who enforce the law, and those who are subject to the law, when it comes to rights impacting on the liberty of people to not be arbitrarily arrested or detained, should be black and white. The fact that it is not should be of great concern to every person in this country who believes in democracy and civil liberties,” Allan said.
“If successful in the courts, the police can be found to have illegally arrested and detained the first Māori Minister of Justice.
“The right to legal counsel is a fundamental protected right in the NZBORA (Bill of Rights Act) and applies to every New Zealander equally.
“The issue here is that such a fundamental legal right sits in a grey area which several senior lawyers in New Zealand from both a defence and prosecution perspective have not been able to provide a unified view on, but for the fact that all agree that the law is currently uncertain.”
Allan was driving on Evans Bay Parade on the night, and crashed into a parked car, shunting it forward.
She was arrested and held in the police cells after the incident and quickly charged with careless driving and refusing to accompany police. She resigned her portfolios the next day, and shortly after confirmed she would not stand for re-election.
Earlier this month, Allan posted on social media about that night, the lead-up to it and the aftermath, saying it had been the hardest year of her life, but also an “unwanted gift”.
She wrote that the night was the culmination of her mental health struggles, and challenges both at work and personally. She had recently split up with her partner Māni Dunlop.
She said it had been the hardest year of her life — but also an “unwanted gift” and had given her time with her daughter and her family.
“This year has also being the biggest unwanted gift I’ve ever received. A forced stop which requires going deep into the places I’ve never wanted to venture into before. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done and far outweighs the public humiliation and shame I feel from the evening of the breakdown and crash.
“There are good days. There are bad days. There are sad days. There are hopeful days.”
