Zoran's Story

Selwyn engineer-turned-community advocate Zoran Rakovic has announced he will stand as an independent candidate in the upcoming general election, saying Selwyn deserves a representative who answers only to its people, not to party machines or Wellington caucus rooms.

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Rakovic, a retired structural engineer known for his long public fight for fairness and transparency during the Canterbury earthquake insurance battles, says the Selwyn electorate is facing “a slow-burn crisis that no major party has had the courage - or independence - to call out.”

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“Selwyn is one of the fastest-growing districts in New Zealand, but we’re being treated like a cash cow,” Rakovic says. “We are underfunded by central government, we are under-policed even as population explodes, our infrastructure is strained, transport upgrades are delayed year after year, and local voices are being weakened through constant centralisation. This is what happens when a district is taken for granted.”

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Rakovic says he was humbled by the 3,400 votes he received in the recent local elections. “I thank everyone who had confidence in me.  That support, without a political party behind me, showed that Selwyn residents are hungry for genuine independence, someone who will stand in the Beehive and speak for them, not for a party whip.”

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He says the major political parties have become “self-preserving structures focused on caucus discipline rather than constituent service.”

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“As an Independent, I am not bound by party whips, caucus allegiances, or ideological obedience. My only loyalty is to the people who live here. Selwyn deserves a representative who can vote according to conscience, reason, and the lived reality of our community - not according to whatever strategy room decides on Tuesday morning.”

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Rakovic highlights his long, determined fight against EQC and insurers after the Canterbury earthquakes as evidence of his readiness to challenge powerful institutions. “For over a decade, I stood up to organisations far bigger than myself because they were wrong - and because families were suffering. That same spirit is needed now in Parliament. Selwyn needs someone who will not be silenced, intimidated, or told to ‘sit down and follow orders’.”

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He says the core issues of his campaign will focus on fight for fair government funding for Selwyn’s rapid growth, improved policing and community safety, and the protection of local democracy against over-centralisation. However, he emphasises that his policies will evolve next year as direct interaction with Selwyn residents intensifies. “I am running as a true representative, and that means listening first. As I meet more people across the district, policies will sharpen, shift, and deepen according to what residents themselves say needs attention.”

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Rakovic says the campaign will be positive and rooted in solutions. “Selwyn needs a strong, independent voice - one that reflects its communities, its families, its farmers, its businesses, and its growing townships.”

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Public meetings will be held across the electorate over the coming months, with more detail to be released early next year.

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“Selwyn deserves better - and by standing together, we can make sure Wellington finally hears us.”