South Waikato councillor censured after $34,000 code of conduct investigation

Saturday, 13 June 2026

Supporters of embattled South Waikato councillor Zed Latinovic labelled his code of conduct hearing a “sham” before walking out of a meeting scheduled to discuss complaints against him.

However, that did not stop the South Waikato District Council ruling on two code of conduct complaints levelled at the first-term councillor at a meeting on Friday.

Latinovic was found to have breached his council’s code of conduct twice by an independent investigator looking into complaints about his behaviour made by the council’s chief executive Susan Law.

The investigations have cost ratepayers $33,925, and relate to a public row with the mayor over a request to film council meetings, and an “offensive” accusation of “creative accounting” made to a member of the council’s finance team.

He also faces three more code complaints, which are still being investigated.

Friday’s extraordinary council meeting was chaired by deputy mayor Maria Te Kanawa due to mayor Gary Petley declaring he had a conflict of interest, and was involved in one of the complaints.

Petley then left the council chamber.

Latinovic, also declaring a conflict of interest, opted to have Rotorua District councillor Robert Lee speak on his behalf.

He was also supported by Hamilton City councillor Andrew Bydder, who is no stranger to code of conduct complaints, and joined around 40 people in the public gallery.

Lee was given 15 minutes to make Latinovic’s case, however he had requested the council give him two hours, and allow for a Powerpoint presentation in Latinovic’s defence.

Lee said Latinovic had been “named and shamed, let’s say defamed … and has the right to defend himself fully … it’s simply not possible to provide a response in 15 minutes”.

“I won’t even bother to mount that defence today if we don’t have that opportunity,” Lee said.

Te Kanawa said the meeting would continue with or without Latinovic’s presence, before declining Lee’s request.

Lee responded by saying “the meeting is a sham … and we will not be part of this sham”.

Latinovic, Lee, Bydder, and some other members of Latinovic’s support team, then left the chamber and met at a nearby McDonald’s.

After a 10-minute break, the meeting resumed without Latinovic and his support team.

Councillor Dave Shaw gave a passionate speech in “his friend’s” defence saying he was “imbued with a massive intellect, and incredible enthusiasm .. and loves to delve into detail”.

Shaw said part of the issue was with Latinovic’s Serbian cultural heritage, and the fact that English was his fourth language.

He said Latinovic’s questioning style was “direct and deep” and he had meant no offence.

“Creative accounting is not a term I would have used … and an unfortunate choice of words … but I’m surprised his words affected staff as much as they did.”

Shaw asked his colleagues to drop all complaints against his friend to save the council time and money.

Councillor Josiah Teokotai cut to the chase, introducing a motion to formally censure Latinovic for his behaviour, as well as directions for him to undertake more training on council’s policies and procedures, and to make a public apology to staff.

The motion also included a line warning Latinovic “that any further breaches of the code of conduct may incur harsher penalties”, and was passed with only councillor Shaw in opposition.

Teokotai said Latinovic’s behaviour was not up to standard for a councillor, and that his “lack of remorse and accountability is a concern”.

Councillor Thomas Lee said the council chamber should be “a safe space”, and the current council term had seen “a lot of disrespect shown to councillors and staff … and they should not have to put up with any of that sort of behaviour”.

“I get on with Zed very well, I don’t think there is a conspiracy against him.”