Tony Kokshoorn (born 13 February 1955) is a New Zealand politician, publisher, activist, and has served as Grey District Mayor since 2004.
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He is a co-owner of the Greymouth Evening Star and Hokitika Guardian newspapers and a partner in the Greymouth Car Centre. His charitable work supports rural New Zealand in addition to his involvement throughout the Pike River Mine disaster.
As of August 2016, Kokshoorn's mayoral candidacy has been unopposed for five straight terms. This set of three-year terms collectively span from 2004 to 2019, making Kokshoorn the longest serving Mayor in the history of the region.
Charitable work
Kokshoorn is a founding trustee of the Grey District Young Persons Development Trust, Toki Pounamu Education Trust, and Life Education on the Coast, and is trustee of Dixon House for the elderly. He has raised more than $30 million for charities. Kokshoorn donates all his speaking fees to charity.
Kokshoorn is the chair and fundraiser of the Lake Brunner Health Clinic rebuild.
Awards and recognition
Kokshoorn was a finalist in the 2010 The New Zealand Herald "New Zealander of the Year" awards. He and the winner were chosen as the Readers' Choice for New Zealander of the Year. He was voted the 10th most trusted person in New Zealand in 2011 by a Reader's Digest nationwide poll, as well as most trusted politician in New Zealand in 2011 and 2014.
He was awarded the 2012 New Zealand Toastmasters Communication and Leadership award for outstanding contribution to New Zealand. In 2013 Kokshoorn was awarded the Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow. Also in 2013, he was named New Zealand Communicator of the Year by the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand.
Publications
Kokshoorn is the author of "The Golden Grey West Coasters 1860–2010". Profits from sale of the book are donated to the Greymouth Heritage Trust.