Former Labour MP Kiri Allan has opened up about her exit from Parliament in a lengthy social media post today.
Allan resigned from her ministerial portfolios after a car crash in July. She isn't running for re-election.
The former justice minister has been charged with careless driving and refusing to accompany a police officer. She also returned a breath test over the legal limit, but at a level considered an infringement offence. Police have not pressed charges over that.
It followed a series of questions raised over Allan regarding comments she made at a farewell for her former partner Māni Dunlop at RNZ, allegations she "mistreated" Parliamentary staff, and donations she received from former race relations commissioner Meng Foon.
She had also gone on mental health leave in June following her break-up with Dunlop.
Allan addressed the saga surrounding her retirement from politics alongside a series of photos on Instagram this morning.
"Over the past month I've experienced all the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and now, acceptance," Allan wrote.
"I've been wrapped up in love by those that love me genuinely, whānau and friends and I can't express my gratitude to those that held my hand in some of the darkest times."
She said that "everything always happens for a reason" and she'd been "deeply unhappy for a long while (for tonnes of reasons)".
This year "just felt like rolling maul of yuck" between Cyclone Gabrielle and other difficulties, Allan added. She mentioned her relationship breakup and media coverage, and said this election year has felt "nasty".
"I'm not someone to walk away from my responsibilities, and I never could bring myself to leave a job I loved, but also brought a lot of pain personally," she wrote. "So, I guess my tupuna took that decision on my behalf - and well, the rest is history.
"Since then, I've had a lot of time to work through some deep shiz man!"
The East Coast MP said she had been diagnosed with ADHD, PTSD and emotional dysregulation.
"Having been diagnosed with depression and anxiety for years, it was a slightly painful experience realising I'd been misdiagnosed and mis-medicated for years," she said.
"Now I'm getting the right support for that, but it's a new journey of learning a complete different way of operating."
Allan teased a future career announcement: "On the work front, there's cool stuff going on."
And she thanked a number of people for their aroha over recent years, including her staff; her colleagues; former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; her daughter; her former wife; her former partner; and her family.
"And to all of those people in my life - you know who you are. Thank you," she wrote.
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