South Waikato mayor says Zed Latinovic’s council ‘sideshow’ must end

Friday, 26 June 2026

Councillor Zed Latinovic, centre, at Thursday’s meeting where he was stripped of his council roles by mayor Gary Petley.

Controversial South Waikato councillor Zed Latinovic has been stripped of his responsibilities after failing to apologise to staff for twice breaching the council’s code of conduct.

Mayor Gary Petley removed Latinovic from his position on the South Waikato District Council’s Local Services Committee, and barred him from representing the council in any capacity, at a council meeting on Thursday.

However, three further code of conduct complaints made against Latinovic by councillors Sandra Wallace and Michael Thomas have been “paused” at the preliminary investigation phase in efforts to save ratepayers’ money.

South Waikato mayor Gary Petley gave Latinovic a chance to apologise before handing down his judgement.

Earlier this month, councillors voted to censure Latinovic, agreeing that he should apologise to council staff, and undergo further training on the council’s policies and procedures after a $33,925 independent investigation.

Petley addressed Latinovic saying the majority of councillors “expressed significant concern and disappointment regarding what they consider to be an ongoing lack of respect in your conduct”.

Councillors Michael Thomas, left, and Sandra Wallace agreed to pause their code of conduct complaints against Latinovic.

Petley gave Latinovic an opportunity to make apologies to the council’s finance and leaderships teams but he declined saying “I do not accept the resolution imposed by council”.

Petley said it was pointless continuing with any further complaints against Latinovic because he would “not accept any findings council arrives at anyway”.

“Your refusal to take part in that process or accept the outcome is a concerning and unfortunate stance, which is not just insulting to the complainants involved, but in fact spits in the face of what you, and all other elected members, committed to do when you were sworn in as an elected member.”

Petley said initial assessments of the three remaining complaints had found they would likely be upheld.

The council has paid $5322 for those preliminary investigations, bringing the total cost for Latinovic’s code of conduct complaints to $39,247 (including GST).

“Bullying behaviour, directed towards anyone, is not acceptable within this council … so I’m inviting you to do the right thing and apologise, whether publicly or privately,” Petley said.

“Your refusal to acknowledge your behaviour, and the absence of remorse for your treatment of fellow councillors and your conduct towards staff, is unacceptable and shows contempt for council as an institution.”

Petley said his decision was not taken lightly but the council had much more important decisions to make.

“The ongoing disruption and the continued focus on your conduct must come to an end.

“We have extremely important work to get on with, and the sideshow you constantly create can be allowed no longer.”

He also warned Latinovic, and his supporters in the public gallery, that the council chambers were not the place for “political posturing - whether by you, your representatives, or your supporters”.

During a break, Latinovic told the Waikato Times he was not going to back down and apologise for the first two code breaches, and stuck to his guns saying the entire process was flawed and should never have happened.

“But I am glad that ratepayers will not have to pay for any more investigations.”

Latinovic said he would seek to make amends in person with councillors Thomas and Wallace, and hoped the matter would end there.