Former federal Liberal MP Katie Allen has died aged 59 after developing a rare and aggressive form of cancer, her family announced on social media. Dr Allen, who represented the now-abolished Victorian seat of Higgins from 2019 to 2022, was remembered as a mother, doctor, professor, politician and friend who “spent her life caring for others.”
Earlier this year, Dr Allen revealed she had cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile ducts that is often diagnosed late and carries limited treatment options. She shared her diagnosis publicly just days after contesting the federal seat of Chisholm in the May election, where she unsuccessfully challenged Labor MP Carina Garland. Her decision to continue campaigning while unwell underscored the determination that colleagues say defined her public life.
Dr Allen’s career bridged medicine and politics. Before entering parliament, she was a respected paediatrician, researcher and professor, with a particular focus on allergies. After developing a peanut allergy as an adult, she became a prominent advocate for clearer food labelling and stronger allergy awareness—work she carried into federal parliament through a 2020 parliamentary inquiry examining allergy prevalence and policy responses.
In politics, she was known for her willingness to cross party lines on matters of principle. In 2022, Dr Allen was one of five Coalition MPs to cross the floor on amendments to the religious discrimination bill, supporting stronger protections for transgender students and staff. Speaking on Q+A at the time, she said the decision reflected her personal values: “I feel like I’ve stood up for what I believe in.”
Tributes have flowed from across the political and medical communities, reflecting her wide influence. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley described Dr Allen as a “trailblazer in every sense,” praising her “exceptional intellect, courage and warmth.” Victorian Liberal MP Brad Rowswell said her legacy would be felt long after her passing, noting she was “always crafting a pathway for others.”
Senator Jane Hume recalled meeting Dr Allen during her time at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, describing her as accomplished yet disarmingly kind. “She should have been intimidating,” Hume wrote, “but Katie was friendly, enthusiastic, and deeply committed to improving lives.” Victorian MP Bridget Vallence also shared a personal tribute, noting Dr Allen had once been her son’s paediatric allergist at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Dr Allen’s death has prompted renewed attention to cholangiocarcinoma, a disease that affects only a small number of Australians each year but remains under-researched. Advocates say her openness about her diagnosis may help raise awareness and funding, mirroring the way she used personal experience to drive policy change on allergies.
Surrounded by family, Dr Allen died peacefully, her family said, after living “a full, beautiful life.” In both medicine and parliament, she leaves a record of service shaped by empathy, independence, and an unwavering focus on people who needed help—values that continue to resonate well beyond her years in public office.
