Former Defence Minister Ron Mark Blames DEI for Manawanui Sinking in New Ad

New Zealand First candidate Ron Mark is facing scrutiny over a new campaign advertisement that directly links the 2024 sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui to diversity, equity and inclusiveness (DEI) initiatives. The ad, released on social media, features Mark claiming that these policies had gone 'too far' and that the vessel's loss off the coast of Samoa served as 'evidence of that.' The incident resulted in the loss of the ship and the subsequent charging of its captain, Commander Yvonne Gray.

Mark, who previously served as defence minister, addressed the controversy in an interview with RNZ. He stated that he found suggestions that his comments targeted women in the defence force to be 'appalling.' He argued that Commander Gray had a 'strong defence' and that public attention should shift toward the men who made specific decisions leading up to the sinking. Mark highlighted his personal experience serving alongside female officers who performed with 'absolute distinction,' including a high-level intelligence appointment he made at the request of a foreign nation.

Despite the specific wording in the ad, Mark emphasized that his party's defence policy is rooted in meritocracy. A six-year defence plan developed by New Zealand First includes a clause that protects 'female-specific roles' when they are 'operationally advantageous.' Mark cited specialised intelligence operations as an example where female operators may possess better skills than their male counterparts. He described it as 'astonishing' that this specific provision had been overlooked in the public debate.

In the advertisement, Mark also criticized current military culture, showing himself stating that 'soldiers with man buns, they don't scare anybody.' He argued that the New Zealand military needs to restore its 'warrior ethos.' Mark dismissed the idea that the ad was a political attack on women, noting that the people he listens to most in his life are women. He warned that turning the issue into a gender debate does a 'grave disservice' to professional women in the defence force.

National leader Christopher Luxon responded to questions about whether he would rule Mark out of holding the defence portfolio again. Luxon said he did not know why Mark was commenting on the matter since he was not present for the review of the Manawanui incident. Luxon rejected the assertion that Mark was unfit for the role, stating that the country has made a huge investment in its defence force and that its members deserve respect. While he compared Mark's rhetoric to US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, he did not formally exclude the former minister from the position.