1984: Death of Keith Allen
July 21, 2019
By AHNZ
21 July, 1984: Death of Keith Allen. Tauranga MP and Minister for Muldoon’s National Government (Customs, Life Insurance, State Insurance, Earthquake Damage, Trade and Industry.) Allen was burned out by diabetes and politics. Muldoon ought to have let him go but instead rode his trusty lieutenant into the grave.
National’s grip on power was slipping and the Prime Minister required all hands on deck. To be short of Allen’s crucial vote was out of the question, especially with MPs Waring and Minogue playing silly buggers. But it would take more than flogging a dying minister to keep this lead Zeppelin from hitting the ground.
The death occurred soon after the famous ‘Snap’ election which deposed the Nats for David Lange’s 4th Labour Government. The power hand-over was not yet complete, Muldoon famously and legalistically holding on during a time of financial crisis where Lange and Roger Douglas wanted and needed to see the account books. Perhaps these final efforts of shredding and burning the Government swindle sheets cooked Allen’s goose rather than making for the relief his mind and body needed?
Allen was replaced in the Tauranga seat by Winston Peters. Elected at last and almost ever since.
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Image ref. Taranaki daily news (cropped); Alexander Turnbull Library
#National 4.0
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