Councillor Zed Latinovic found to have breached conduct code twice

Tuesday, 9 June 2026

A public row with the mayor and an “offensive” accusation of creative accounting have earned a South Waikato District councillor two breaches of the code of conduct.

First-term councillor Zed Latinovic is set to face the first two of a total of five code of conduct complaints levelled against him at an extraordinary council meeting on Friday.

The council’s chief executive made complaints about Latinovic - and it’s understood the bill for the investigation is more than $20,000.

A 14-page report, penned by Mount Maunganui-based barrister Mary Hill, was made public on Monday afternoon, and covers two separate incidents earlier this year.

The first complaint relates to a council meeting on February 26 when Latinovic openly disputed a ruling from Mayor Gary Petley not to allow a local blogger to record a meeting on his camera.

The disagreement saw Petley end the meeting before it had started, stating at the time that “unruly behaviour disrupting proceedings” was his reason to defer it to a later date.

The second complaint relates to comments made by Latinovic to the council’s chief financial officer at a subsequent meeting on March 5, when he openly accused the officer of “creative accounting”.

In her report, Hill said the first complaint was a “low to moderate” breach of the council’s code of conduct, and the second breach was “moderate to serious in nature”.

In her report, Hill said the first code breach - interrupting and speaking over the mayor while he was announcing his decision - could be upheld because Latinovic did not 'remember the respect and dignity of their office“ during the exchange.

She said councillors must 'maintain public confidence in the office, in this case by respecting the mayor as the elected leader and the person entitled to make the decision on a request by a member of the public to film a council meeting'.

Hill said Latinovic should 'avoid aggressive conduct … when seeking to raise an issue with the mayor's decision in public“.

“On the other hand, I have a more general concern about the respondent’s failure to recognise that his conduct was unacceptable … and in part seeks to blame other parties … without acknowledging that the meeting was adjourned due to the respondent’s own conduct.”

She recommended Latinovic receive more training in council processes, and its standing orders, and that he acknowledges “the appropriate course of action would have been to accept the mayor’s decision”.

In terms of the second complaint, Hill said 'the conduct in this case amounted to discourteous and disrespectful conduct, in breach of the code“.

'It was also 'offensive' in the ordinary sense of the word, which means causing someone to feel upset.

'The ordinary meaning of 'respect' includes having due regard for the feelings, wishes and rights of others and treating a person with kindness and care.'

Hill recommended Latinovic make a public apology to the relevant council officers, and receive further training “in how to raise questions appropriately, and potentially in better understanding financial reporting”.

Potential consequences available under the council’s code of conduct include a letter of censure, public apology, the removal of committee leadership roles (of which Latinovic has none), suspension from committees, restrictions on dealings with staff, and a vote of no confidence.

Councillors will discuss what actions they will take against Latinovic, or otherwise, at Friday’s meeting, being held in the council’s offices in Tokoroa from 9.30am.

A report covering Latinovic’s three further code of conduct complaints is expected in the coming months.