Former Liberal MP and respected doctor Katie Allen has died aged 59, her family announced on Tuesday, describing her as “much loved” and “dearly loved”.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Katie [Mum]”said the family statement on Instagram.
“She spent her life caring for others as a mother, doctor, professor, MP and friend. She is deeply loved. She passed away in peace, surrounded by family, and lived a full, beautiful life, all the way to the end. We love you so much.”
Allen revealed in May that she had been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer known as cholangiocarcinoma.
She said at the time: “It is a stage 4 diagnosis and has already spread. I know there are difficult days ahead but I am dealing with this with clarity and determination.”
The message did not reveal how Allen died.
Allen served in the now abolished seat of Higgins from 2019 to 2022.
She challenged Labour’s Carina Garland in the seat of Chisholm, which included part of her former seat, at the 2025 federal election but was unsuccessful.
Before coming to Parliament, Allen was a pediatrician and director of public health at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute from 2011 to 2019.
Allen was “passionate about making a difference,” Albanese says
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute to Allen on Wednesday, saying he had “tremendous respect” for her.
“She died far too early. And I think she had respect for her colleagues in the Liberal Party, but in the whole of Parliament,” he told reporters.
“She always conducted herself in a respectful manner, both in this House and on the campaign trail, and my thoughts go out to Dr. Allen’s family, to her friends, to her former colleagues and to the community she represented.
“She was passionate about making a difference, not just for that local community, but for our nation. And I mourn her passing.”
Colleagues pay tribute
Former Victorian Liberal leader Brad Battin was among the first to pay tribute to Allen on Tuesday.
“Life isn’t fair for many. And for Katie, it wasn’t fair. But the changes she made, the people she supported and the beliefs she lived gave many the opportunity they might never have had. And with her support, life was fairer,” he said on social media.
Liberal senator Jane Hume described Allen as “an extraordinary woman and an inspiring friend”.
Labor Senator Michelle Ananda-Rajah, who won Higgins in 2022 before being elected to the Senate when the seat was abolished, also shared her condolences.
“She lived a life of service and all of you were her triumph. My condolences to you all.”
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