Summarised by Centrist
Defence Minister Judith Collins fiercely defended Commander Yvonne Gray, dismissing misogynistic trolls as “armchair admirals” and condemning the gender-based blame as “deeply concerning.”
She stated, “The one thing that we already know did not cause [the ship’s sinking] was the gender of the ship’s captain.”
Collins praised Gray for her swift decision-making when the ship became stuck on a reef off Samoa. Rear Admiral Garin Golding also backed Gray’s actions, stating that she “made the right call” to abandon ship and save lives. “It was something of a triumph, frankly,” Collins added, commending the captain’s leadership under difficult circumstances.
The Navy has initiated a Court of Inquiry to investigate the sinking, promising transparency in the final report.
Editor’s note: While critics misuse celebrating gender equality to undermine Gray’s competence, the Navy may have unintentionally set up a narrative that invites gender-based scrutiny when things go wrong.
In March 2023, the NZDF included a celebration of Gray’s gender as an attribute, and her leadership a milestone for women’s progress in the force in an article “Women lead from the front in today’s Royal New Zealand Navy.“ It quotes Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral David Proctor:
“But we also need to walk the walk and demonstrate that women have just as much opportunity to succeed as men. Having wāhine as commanding officers on more than 60% of our ships, as well as heading up shore units and other important portfolios, is a realisation of that goal.”
