Who Is Tony Davies? New Zealand Defense Chief Quits over Undisclosed Relationship

Air Marshal Tony Davies resigned as New Zealand’s Chief of Defense Force on Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, after admitting he failed to disclose an inappropriate relationship while serving in a unit command position.

Davies submitted his resignation to Defense Minister Paul Goldsmith, who said the military chief’s position was “no longer tenable.” Vice Chief of Defense Force Rear Admiral Mat Williams was appointed acting chief, while the New Zealand Defense Force referred the matter to the Inspector-General of Defense for review.

Davies’ departure puts the spotlight on the standards of conduct expected from New Zealand’s most senior military officer. Although he described the matter as a personal issue involving past errors of judgment, he acknowledged that his actions were contrary to the Defense Force’s values. The review will examine the matter, but the available information does not establish further details about the relationship or its circumstances.

Who is Tony Davies?

Tony Davies is a senior New Zealand military officer who joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1984. After four decades of military service, he was appointed Chief of the New Zealand Defense Force on June 6, 2024, placing him at the head of the country’s armed forces.

The Chief of Defense Force is New Zealand’s most senior military leadership position. The role involves leading the Defense Force and advising the government on military and Defense matters. It carries responsibility for ensuring that the armed forces maintain professional standards and operate in line with their institutional values.

Davies accepts responsibility for failing to disclose the relationship

In a statement released by the New Zealand Defense Force, Davies said he was resigning because of past errors of judgment and accepted responsibility for his actions. “The resignation is for personal reasons, and results from errors of judgment made by me in the past, for which I am taking responsibility. The errors of judgment were contrary to the values of the Defense Force,” Davies said.

He explained that the matter concerned a relationship during his time in a unit command position and acknowledged that he should have disclosed it. “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,” Davies said.

The statement did not specify when the relationship occurred, identify the other person or explain why Davies had not disclosed it earlier. It also did not provide details about any potential disciplinary consequences.

Defense Minister says his position was no longer tenable

Goldsmith said Davies’ failure to disclose the integrity-related matters meant he could no longer remain in the top military role. “The reasons regarding his decision relate to integrity matters that he did not previously disclose,” Goldsmith said.

The minister also said he would recommend that the Governor-General accept Davies’ resignation. The Governor-General performs formal constitutional duties on behalf of New Zealand’s monarch. Separately, the New Zealand Defense Force referred the matter to the Inspector-General of Defense for review. The referral means the circumstances are to be examined, although the information provided so far does not outline the review’s scope, timeline or possible findings.

Mat Williams takes over as acting chief

Rear Admiral Mat Williams, who served as Vice Chief of the Defense Force, stepped in as acting chief following Davies’ departure. His appointment provides interim leadership while the organization addresses the transition.

Davies’ resignation ends his tenure less than two and a half years after he took the top job in June 2024. The immediate focus is now on the review of the undisclosed relationship and the process for leadership following his departure.

The Defense Force has not provided further details about the relationship in the information available, and no conclusions beyond Davies’ stated admission and the announced review should be assumed.