Len Salt | |
---|---|
![]() Salt in 2016 | |
Born | Leonard Thomas Arthur Salt 1956 (age 67–68) [1] |
Occupation(s) | Politician and Businessman |
Spouse | Svargo |
Mayor of Thames-Coromandel District Council | |
Assumed office 2022 | |
Deputy | Terry Walker |
Preceded by | Sandra Goudie |
Personal details | |
Political party | Independent |
Leonard Thomas Arthur Salt (born c. 1956), better known as Len Salt, is a New Zealand local politician of Māori descent. He was elected Mayor of Thames-Coromandel District Council in 2022.
Salt grew up in Auckland, New Zealand, the eldest of five children. [2] [3] He is of Ngāpuhi and Tainui descent. [2] [3]
In 2010, Salt and his wife Svargo moved to the coastal town of Whitianga, moving to Thames after he was elected in January 2023. [3]
Salt first ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Thames-Coromandel in the 2019 New Zealand local elections. [4]
Salt was elected Mayor of Thames-Coromandel District Council in the 2022 New Zealand local elections with 5285 votes. [5] When he took his oath of office, he wore a new kāhaku, a Māori cloak made specifically for the Mercury Bay community. [6]
In October 2023, the TCDC voted unanimously to support the establishment of a Māori ward or wards, [7] with Salt describing the move to improve Māori representation in council as "just a beginning". [8]
In July 2023 [9] Salt replied to an email from a constituent by signing off with, “Go fuck yourself, kind regards, Len”. [10] The email was from a constituent associated with the sovereign citizen movement and was requesting the names and addresses of TCDC staff. The email was leaked by a political opponent in January 2024, and received wide media coverage. Salt was criticised by some political opponents, but also received praise on social media for taking a strong stance against harassment of public servants. [10] Salt said he had "no regrets", and that he had received an overwhelmingly positive response from the public in support of his blunt reply. [11]