Mr Allen will stay in Cabinet

Press, 26 April 1984, Page 8

Mr Allen will stay in Cabinet

PA Wellington The Minister of Customs, Mr Allen, has said that his acute bouts of an ailment caused by low blood sugar were accentuated by his own decision to take more medication. Mr Allen also said the symptoms of hypoglycemia—“unsteadiness, slurring, glazed eyes, shaking, and excitability”—might have led the men he alleged had attacked him to mistake him “for a lonely drunk.” In a statement about his health and his decision to continue in Cabinet, Mr Allen said that medical tests on him had shown that there was “no evidence of alcoholism.” The full text of the statement is:

"Exhaustive physical and neurological tests show a completely normal picture of my health, apart from the continuing diabetes now under knowledgeable control and a possible mild pancreatic deficiency. There is no evidence of alcoholism.

“The changed medication and clinical advice have brought the diabetes under control and my health is expected to remain good. “This means I am fully capable of continuing in any capacity required by the electorate or the Government, during the year. “Hypoglycemia, which is due to low blood sugar, was the result of the diabetes and had been occurring occasionally since last year, but became serious last month and worsened following the attack I suffered.

“The symptoms of hypoglycemia are unsteadiness, slurring, glazed eyes, shaking and excitability, etc., and is often mistaken for

inebriation. “The new drug regime, frequent testing each day, a strict diet, and regular eating has overcome this problem.

“The acute attacks I suffered were accentuated by my own belief that increased dosing would help, and this mistaken belief led to an even higher level of medication. This combined with irregular and missed meals created recurrent hypoglycemia. “It is likely that my attackers on March 15, because I was hypoglycemiamistook me for a lonely drunk and therefore easy meat. What weapons were used I don’t know but I believe one had a piece of broken bottle. “In this connection there is also medical opinion which indicates that a person suffering from hypoglycemia could collapse, suffer injury, and subsequently upon recovery believe an attack was made by other persons.

“I am clear in my mind that this is not the case and I have medical examination made at the time backing me.

“Before this incident I had told my family and the Prime Minister that I would not be nominating for another Parliamentary term. There was no suggestion of resignation. Then, as now, I intend to complete the Parliamentary term.” The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, said that Mr Allen would remain in the Cabinet. Mr Allen had returned to his Beehive office on Tuesday after three weeks leave for health reasons.

“The people who have examined him exhaustively indicate that he is quite capable of carrying on as a

member of Cabinet.” Sir Robert said. He had discussed with Mr Allen if he wanted to continue as a Minister, “given that he will be under a good deal of pressure from all kinds of people.” The Opposition would “do their best to destroy him, particularly when the House meets,” Sir Robert said. “He has said that he is prepared to carry on.”

Sir Robert said that excessive medication had been administered to Mr Allen for some time, including when Mr Allen had been accused by the Opposition of being drunk when he was supposed to be chairing a debate in Parliament last year.

In answer to questions Sir Robert said that it was possible that Mr Alien’s judgment had been affected while he was on the dosage, but there would be no review of his portfolio decisions.

Alcohol had played a “minor role only” in Mr Allen’s health problems, said Sir Robert.

There were “no symptoms whatever of any ill effects from alcohol. That’s been specifically investigated,” he said. “The specialist says if there was any alcohol consumption it was likely to have been minor and he accepts Mr Alien’s assurance that he has drunk very, very little.” Only a small amount of alcohol—a can of beer or two drinks of spirits—would have worsened Mr Allen’s condition, Sir Robert said. The high dose of drugs could possibly have explained why Mr Allen walked home a few nights after he reported he had been assaulted on the same route.