New Zealand military chief resigns over 'inappropriate relationship'

The New Zealand military announced on the 23rd (local time) that its top officer had resigned due to a past "inappropriate relationship."

According to a statement from the New Zealand Armed Forces, New Zealand Armed Forces Chief of Defense Tony Davis (Lieutenant General of the Air Force) conveyed his intention to resign to Minister of Defense Paul Goldsmith on this day.

Accordingly, Defense Minister Matt Williams will serve as acting chief of the New Zealand Armed Forces for the time being.

General Davis said, "This resignation is for personal reasons and stems from errors in judgment I made in the past," and added, "I want to take responsibility for this. This error in judgment was contrary to the values ​​of the military."

He continued, “This issue is related to an inappropriate relationship I had while I was serving as a unit commander,” and added, “I regret not disclosing this even though I had the opportunity to do so.”

The New Zealand military added that he had requested privacy and expressed a wish to focus on his family at this time. The military referred the matter to an independent oversight body.

“His decision was a matter of moral integrity, which he had not disclosed in the past,” Goldsmith said. “We were both convinced that he could no longer hold office.”

He added, "We acknowledge his 42 years of dedication and contribution to the New Zealand Armed Forces, but the circumstances of his resignation will be a great disappointment to military personnel."

President Davis joined the New Zealand Armed Forces in 1984 and was appointed to his current position in 2024.