Len Salt

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 kākahu, 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]