Dover Samuels, who was a member of the Northland Harbour Board at the time, said Mills did a great job managing all the harbours in Te Tai Tokerau.
“He made a huge contribution to the wellbeing [of Northlanders] – not only with his life of fitness, and getting everyone to exercise – but the way that he managed the affairs of the harbour board,” Samuels said.
“He was very, very prominent in engaging with tangata whenua and Māori communities, especially in isolated communities like Te Hapua.”
Former Whangārei mayor Stan Semenoff also agreed Mills had a big impact for the two years he was in Northland.
“He came in and got stuck in. He did a very good job of downsizing and setting up the port.”
Les Mills – a businessman, former Auckland City Mayor and Olympic athlete – also led in Northland in the late 1980s. Photo / NZME
Semenoff said he and then-MP John Banks convinced Mills to leave Auckland and come north for the harbour board role.
“We needed someone who was strong and got things done, and he had that reputation.”
The work gave Mills a taste of local body politics. After leaving, he became mayor of Auckland City Council in 1990, a position he held for three terms.
Samuels said Mills’ death was a shock, and he had good memories of fishing with Mills at Matauri Bay.
He sent condolences to the family and passed on best wishes to son Phillip, now executive director of Les Mills International.
Mills’ first wife Colleen died in 2005. Mills is survived by wife Florence, children Phillip and Donna, daughter-in-law Jackie, grandchildren Diana, Les jnr, Gabriel and Moana, plus many great-grandchildren.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.