New Zealand’s military chief resigns after admitting to an inappropriate relationship

Air Marshal Tony Davies, who was recently appointed as the head of New Zealand's military in 2024, has resigned from his position due to an "inappropriate relationship" he had while leading a unit, according to a statement from the Defence Force on Friday. The Defence Force emphasized that the resignation is a personal matter arising from errors of judgement made by Davies in the past, for which he is taking full responsibility.

He clarified that these errors were contrary to the values of the Defence Force and expressed regret for not disclosing the situation when he had the chance. Davies requested privacy and stated that his current focus is on his family. The matter has been handed over to an independent oversight body by the military. New Zealand's Defence Minister, Paul Goldsmith, expressed disappointment over the resignation, stating that the reasons behind Davies' decision involve integrity matters he had not previously revealed.

The Defence Minister confirmed that Davies' position is no longer tenable. When asked for further details by AFP, the New Zealand Defence Force declined to provide any additional information.