Damian Francis Light was born on 31 October 1983 and is a New Zealand politician who was the leader of the United Future party from August 2017 until the party's dissolution in November 2017.
10 Facts About Damian Light
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Damian Light became party leader following the resignation of Peter Dunne.
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Damian Light was the first openly gay leader of a political party in New Zealand.
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Damian Light later entered local politics, and in 2022 became the Chair of the Howick Local Board.
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Damian Light stated that he was motivated to become involved in politics at the 2002 general election after seeing Peter Dunne's memorable television debate with the "worm".
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Damian Light first stood for parliament at the 2008 general election in the North Shore electorate and ranked 13 on United Future's party list.
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At the 2011 general election Damian Light was again United Future's candidate for North Shore and was ranked 12 on the party list.
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Damian Light ran for the Auckland Council as an independent in the 2018 Howick ward by-election, placing fourth behind the winner, businessman Paul Young.
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Damian Light contested the ward again in the 2019 Auckland local elections and placed third behind the two winners, Young and Sharon Stewart, making him the highest ranked candidate in the ward to not be elected.
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In 2022 Damian Light stood for the council again unsuccessfully but was elected to the Howick Local Board for the Botany subdivision.