Air Marshal Tony Davies has informed Defense Minister Paul Goldsmith that he is resigning as Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force after acknowledging past errors of judgement. Those errors were connected to what Davies described as an inappropriate relationship while he held unit command.

Arrangements are underway to transfer responsibilities from Davies to the Vice Chief of Defence Force, Rear Adm. Mat Williams. Williams will serve as Acting Chief of Defence Force after a brief interim period led by the Chief of Army, Maj. Gen. Rose King.

King will act as Chief of Defence Force until Sunday. Williams is then scheduled to take on the acting role as the military manages the leadership change resulting from Davies’ decision to resign.

Davies said his resignation was based on personal reasons and accepted responsibility for his conduct. In his statement, he directly linked the decision to actions from his past and to the values of the Defence Force.

“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 also addressed the nature of the conduct and his failure to reveal it when he had the chance.

“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.”

The statement makes the inappropriate relationship the central issue in Davies’ explanation for leaving the top role. He said the relationship took place when he was in a position of unit command and expressed regret over not disclosing it.

Davies did not identify the other person involved in the relationship within his quoted statement. He also did not provide a date for the relationship, instead focusing his remarks on his own judgement, his responsibility and the conflict with Defence Force values.

The resignation follows a career progression detailed in the announcement. Davies was appointed Chief of Air Force from 2016, then became Vice Chief of Defence Force in 2018 before moving into the senior post he is now leaving.

Davies, who was born in 1966, was promoted to his current rank when he was appointed Chief of Defence Force on June 6, 2024. That appointment placed him at the head of the organization whose values he now says his earlier errors of judgement violated.

The transition will unfold through two temporary command arrangements. King will first take responsibility through Sunday, after which Williams will assume the duties as Acting Chief of Defence Force.

King currently serves as Chief of Army, while Williams serves as Vice Chief of Defence Force. Their stated roles in the transition provide continuity as Davies steps away from command following his admission.

Williams is not described as receiving a permanent appointment in the announcement. The stated arrangement identifies him specifically as Acting Chief of Defence Force once King completes her temporary period in charge on Sunday.

Davies communicated his resignation to Goldsmith, making the Defense Minister the government official identified as receiving the decision. The announcement does not describe any additional personnel changes beyond the temporary succession involving King and Williams.

The resignation statement centers squarely on Davies’ own actions. He characterized them as errors of judgement, said they ran contrary to Defence Force values and accepted responsibility while explaining that the resignation was for personal reasons.

His regret also extended beyond the relationship itself to his decision not to disclose it when an opportunity arose. That acknowledgment forms a key part of the explanation he provided for relinquishing the role.

The leadership transfer now places King in command for the immediate period before Williams takes over on Sunday. Davies’ departure follows less than two years after his June 6, 2024, appointment as Chief of Defence Force.