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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 .
Oct 23 (Reuters) – The chief of New Zealand’s Defence Force resigned on Friday over an “inappropriate relationship” he failed to disclose while in a position of command.
- Tony Davies has informed Defence Minister Paul Goldsmith of his resignation, the New Zealand Defence Force said in a statement.
- “The resignation is for personal reasons, and results from errors of judgement made by me in the past, for which I am taking responsibility. The errors of judgement were contrary to the values of the Defence Force,” Davies said.
- “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.”
- Vice Chief Mat Williams would serve as acting chief, the Defence Force’s statement said.
- Goldsmith said he agreed Davies’ position was “no longer tenable”.
- “The reasons regarding his decision relate to integrity matters that he did not previously disclose,” he said.
- “I will be recommending to the Governor-General that she accepts Mr Davies’ resignation.”
- Davies joined New Zealand’s military in 1984 and was appointed to the top job in 2024.
Reporting by Christine Chen in Sydney; editing by Lincoln Feast.
