New Zealand’s top military officer resigns over ‘inappropriate relationship’
New Zealand’s Chief of Defence Force Air Marshall Tony Davies gives a doorstop interview at the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) Defence Chiefs’ Conference in Singapore on May 29, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Edgar Su)
Read a summary of this article on FAST.
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
WELLINGTON: The head of New Zealand’s military has resigned over an “inappropriate relationship” he had while in charge of a unit, the Defence Force said on Friday (Oct 23).
“The resignation is for personal reasons, and results from errors of judgement made by me in the past, for which I am taking responsibility,” Air Marshal Tony Davies said.
“The errors of judgement were contrary to the values of the Defence Force,” he added.
“These matters revolved around an inappropriate relationship I had when in a position of unit command, and I regret not disclosing this when I had the opportunity to do so.”
Guess Word
Crack the word, one row at a time
Buzzword
Create words using the given letters
Mini Sudoku
Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser
Mini Crossword
Small grid, big challenge
Word Search
Spot as many words as you can
He asked for privacy and said that his focus was on his family at this time, the military added.
The matter has been referred to an independent oversight body, the military said.
New Zealand’s Defence Minister Paul Goldsmith said the circumstances around the resignation would come as a “great disappointment” to many in the armed forces.
“The reasons regarding his decision relate to integrity matters, that he did not previously disclose,” he said.
“We both agree his position is no longer tenable.”
Approached for comment by AFP, the New Zealand Defence Force declined to offer further details.
Previously head of the air force, Davies was appointed chief of New Zealand’s military in 2024.
Source: AFP/ec
Sign up for our newsletters
Get the CNA app
Stay updated with notifications for breaking news and our best stories
Get WhatsApp alerts
Join our channel for the top reads for the day on your preferred chat app
Get bite-sized news via a new
cards interface. Give it a try.
Click here to return to FAST
Tap here to return to FAST
FAST
