Les Mills facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Les Mills CNZM MBE JP
36th Mayor of Auckland City
In office 1990–1998
Preceded by	Catherine Tizard
Succeeded by	Christine Fletcher
Personal details
Born	Leslie Roy Mills (1934-11-01) 1 November 1934 (age 90) Auckland, New Zealand
Spouse	Colleen Maree Mills (d. 2005)
Children	Phillip Mills Donna Mills
Les Mills Personal information Height 188 cm Weight 121 kg Sport Sport Athletics Event(s) Shot put, discus throw Club Auckland Achievements and titles Personal best(s) Shot put – 19.80 m (1967) Discus – 61.52 m (1971) Medal record Men's athletics Representing  New Zealand Commonwealth Games Silver 1958 Cardiff Discus throw Gold 1966 Kingston Discus throw Silver 1966 Kingston Shot put Silver 1970 Edinburgh Discus throw Bronze 1970 Edinburgh Shot put

Leslie Roy Mills (born 1 November 1934) is a famous New Zealander. He was a top athlete, a successful businessman, and a politician. He competed for New Zealand in the Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games for over twenty years. He was especially good at the shot put and discus throw.

Les Mills won five medals at the Commonwealth Games. One of his biggest wins was a gold medal in the discus throw at the 1966 Games. In 1968, he started his first gym. This led to the creation of Les Mills International, a fitness company now run by his son, Phillip Mills. Later, Les Mills became the Mayor of Auckland City, New Zealand's largest city. He served as Mayor from 1990 to 1998.

Les Mills: A Champion Athlete

Les Mills had a long and successful career in athletics. He was known for his strength in throwing events.

Early Wins and Olympic Dreams

• In 1952, he won New Zealand Junior titles in both shot put and discus.
• He earned a silver medal in discus at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
• At the 1960 Summer Olympics, he was the captain and flag bearer for New Zealand.
• He competed in the shot put and discus at several Olympic Games.

Commonwealth Games Success

• At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, he won a gold medal in discus. He also took home a silver medal in shot put.
• In 1970, at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games, he won another silver in discus. He also got a bronze medal in shot put.
• He won the AAA Championships in 1970 and 1971.

Coaching and Records

• From 1974 to 1976, Les Mills was the National Sports Director for Papua New Guinea.
• He was also the first Director of Coaching in Athletics for New Zealand from 1977 to 1979.
• He coached the New Zealand team at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.
• Les Mills helped train other New Zealand throwers, like Beatrice Faumuina.
• His personal best in shot put was a national record for 44 years. This record was finally broken in 2011 by 16-year-old Jacko Gill.

Les Mills: Mayor of Auckland City

After his sports career, Les Mills became a leader in local government. He served as the Mayor of Auckland City for eight years.

Starting as Mayor

• Les Mills became Mayor of Auckland City in 1990.
• This happened after the previous Mayor, Dame Catherine Tizard, became the Governor-General of New Zealand.
• His first term as Mayor involved bringing many smaller local councils together. These councils merged into one larger city council in 1989.
• The Aotea Centre, a large event venue, also opened early in his time as Mayor.

Changes and Projects in Auckland

• During his time as Mayor, many new things happened in Auckland.
• The city introduced green "wheelie bins" for rubbish collection.
• They also started charging for water use based on how much was used.
• Some city-owned places, like golf courses, were leased to private companies.
• The city also sold off some properties that were no longer important, like its abattoir (a place where animals are prepared for meat).
• Big projects started, like the America's Cup Village at the Auckland viaduct.
• Work began on the Sky Tower and Casino complex. This tall tower now stands out in the Auckland skyline.
• The historic Civic theatre was redeveloped.
• The Auckland Town Hall also received important updates.

Challenges and End of Term

• In 1998, Auckland faced a major power crisis. This shut down most of the inner city.
• Les Mills' plans for the Britomart Transport Centre also received some criticism. Some felt the plans focused too much on property development.
• His successor, Christine Fletcher, later led plans for a smaller Britomart Station.
• Les Mills lost the mayoral election in 1998. He was away for much of the campaign. He was leading the New Zealand team at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. He was also mentoring Beatrice Faumuina, who won a gold medal in discus.

Awards and Recognition

Les Mills has received several important awards for his contributions to New Zealand.

• In 1973, he was made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). This award was for his great service to sport.
• In 2002, he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM). This was for his work in local government and sport.
• In 2022, Les Mills, along with his son Phillip and daughter-in-law Jackie Mills, were honored. They were all inducted into the New Zealand Business Hall of Fame.