South Waikato mayor’s clash with local blogger ends council meeting before it starts

Friday, 27 February 2026

A meeting of the South Waikato District Council ended before it began after mayor Gary Petley abruptly pulled the plug “due to unruly behaviour disrupting proceedings”.

Shouts of “grow some balls Gary”, “you guys are a bunch of chickens”, and “start being a real mayor and represent your community”, followed Petley out of the council chamber on Thursday when the packed public gallery realised what was happening.

Councillors were to discuss the council’s upcoming annual plan, and the setting of rates, along with a report where Petley had breached the council’s code of conduct by using the “poo emoji” during an online argument with a former councillor - costing the council more than $4000 in investigation fees.

Before officially opening the meeting, Petley addressed perennial council critic and “citizen journalist” Bruce Simpson about his recording of council meetings.

Petley accused Simpson of “interfering with the democratic process”, and making “antagonistic” social media posts and videos that “may intimidate councillors and inhibit discussion”.

“You use these staff and councillors in your videos as props, and figures of ridicule,” he said.

“You have been told on multiple occasions that you need to seek my permission to film … there is no inherent right under standing orders to film in this chamber, and any request is subject to my approval.”

Councillor Zed Latinovic interrupted Petley’s speech, and attempted to raise a point of order to suspend council’s standing orders to allow for a debate on whether Simpson should be given permission to record meetings.

But his outburst seemed to be the last straw for Petley, who announced the meeting would not go ahead, and be deferred to another day.

The Waikato Times understands Simpson would have been served with a trespass notice if he refused to stop recording.

However, it’s not the first time Petley and Simpson have butted heads over the recording of meetings.

In a bizarre coincidence, it’s exactly one year to the day when almost the same situation played out, and is definitely an opportunity to roll out the famous Yogi Berra quote 'it's like déjà vu all over again', as on February 26, 2025, Petley adjourned a council meeting because Simpson refused to stop recording.

As for the latest incident, Petley said he was “communicating with a member of the public” when two councillors - Zed Latinovic and Dave Shaw - tried to raise a point of order.

That “wasn’t possible as the meeting had not started”, Petley said in a statement.

“It’s very hard to start a meeting while your elected members are yelling over the top of you.

“This completely undermines the democratic process and meant we were unable to proceed with a meeting … the behaviour of councillor Latinovic and sections of the public gallery were unacceptable on this occasion.”

Speaking to the Waikato Times after the failed meeting, Simpson said he’d be writing to the Office of the Ombudsman to make a complaint.

“I’d say the only one upsetting the democratic process here is Gary [Petley],” he said.

“I try and provide a service to the community … I make videos, I analyse what the council is doing, I report the good and the bad.

“Gary doesn’t understand that everyone is entitled to voice their honest and open criticism, he’s taken it very personally.

“They threatened me with trespass but that didn’t happen … they are just bullies.”

Latinovic said while he did not agree with much of what Simpson said, he did believe he had the right to record council meetings.

“There’s no difference between his camera and our cameras that we use to record meetings.

“I don’t agree with the tone and the way Bruce is doing it but he has the right to do it and we have to respect his right … we should be trying to work with him rather than against him.”