Katie Allen, former federal Liberal MP, dies aged 59

Former federal Liberal MP Katie Allen has died aged 59, her family has announced.

Allen served as the member for the former seat of Higgins in Victoria from 2019 to 2022.

Allen, who worked as a paediatric allergist and gastroenterologist at the Royal Melbourne hospital before her career in politics, revealed earlier this year that she had a rare form of cancer known as cholangiocarcinoma.

In a statement posted to Allen’s Facebook account yesterday, her family announced the passing of “our beloved Katie (Mum)“.

“She spent her life caring for others as a mother, doctor, professor, MP and friend. She is deeply loved,” the statement said.

“She passed in peace surrounded by family and lived a full, beautiful life, all the way to the end.

“We love you so much.”

Allen is survived by her four children, one grandchild, and her husband, Malcolm.

She was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma, an aggressive cancer of the bile ducts, in November 2023 but did not announce it beyond her close family circle until after the federal election in May, in which she ran unsuccessfully for the seat of Chisholm.

She told The Age in November that her husband encouraged her to push ahead with her political ambitions, and she kept the diagnosis private to avoid the sympathy vote.

“Now and then, if someone would do something really mean, I would think ‘If only you knew I had cancer’,” she said.

Liberal senator James McGrath paid tribute to his former colleague, telling Radio National on Wednesday that “to know Katie was to love Katie and to love life”.

“She was one of those people who just brought in a spirit of deep thought and a spirit of just the joy of life,” he said.

“But to underestimate Katie, you did so at your own risk. She had a very strong – she had an iron fist hidden by a velvet glove, and Australia is poorer with her loss… she’ll be missed and we all loved her.”

More to come