There has been a new twist to Kaeo's water woes. Photo / Yolisa Tswanya
A long-running fight for safe drinking water in Kaeo has taken a strange turn, with a resident being sent a cease-and desist-letter by a woman pretending to be a lawyer.
The letter looked like a legal letter from a qualified lawyer, who called themself a “human rights advocate”.
But the signature was fake, the law degree unverified and the law firm seemingly non-existent.
The letter - sent by someone claiming to act for Kaeo Water Management’s Bryce Aldridge - threatened to cut off a resident’s water if she kept making public comments about its poor quality.
The Far North town has been embattled with water quality issues, being under a boil notice for 10 years. Water authority Taumata Arowai stepped in to set compliance for the supplier, in efforts to get residents clean drinking water.
Prior to sending the letter, Aldrige called the Northern Advocate advising that his lawyer would be sending a cease-and-desist to the resident.
The letter was then sent to the resident and multiple media houses by an email address purporting to be from “Manaki Law” and signed with a woman’s name, along with a claim to hold a “Bachelor of Law and Legal Practice” from Flinders University in Australia.
Aldridge said he believed the woman was a lawyer and claimed he received a copy of the alleged lawyer’s certificate from Flinders University after the Advocate questioned him on the legitimacy of the purported lawyer.
But the Australian university said it had no record of her.
“We can confirm no one with that name appears to have graduated from Flinders University,” a Flinders University spokesperson said.
While the university offers a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Creative Arts, it doesn’t offer a BVA, another qualification listed on the signature.
In her signature she claims to hold a BA, BVA (Hons), and an LLB – a Bachelor of Law and Legal Practice and describes herself as a human rights advocate.
A New Zealand Law Society spokesperson said the person [whose name is known by the Advocate] does not hold a current practising certificate and therefore is not a “lawyer” for the purposes of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act.
“A person without a current practising certificate isn’t a lawyer (even if they have a law degree, have been admitted in New Zealand or overseas or have previously held a practising certificate).”
The society said a non-lawyer who provides legal services to the public must be careful that they accurately describe their qualifications, professional status and expertise to avoid misleading people.
“There are also certain ‘reserved areas’ of work that can only be provided by lawyers. These typically relate to giving advice on litigation matters and appearing in court or a tribunal. It is an offence for anyone who isn’t a lawyer to provide services in the reserved areas (outside the exceptions) or to engage in misleading conduct relating to the provision of legal services.”
The spokespersons said members of the public can raise concerns with it and the Law Society can investigate and may prosecute such offences.
“In relation to the specific concern raised in your email, we will pass this on to our regulatory team.”
Aldridge said he believed she was a lawyer.
“What I do know is I have a certificate in my hand right now, that I got from Flinders University, a law degree.”
He went on to say she was not acting on behalf of Kaeo water.
“Does it say she represents me on the document you’ve got on the email she sent you? No, she didn’t.”
Pressed more on what capacity she was sending the letter or whether she worked for Kaeo water, Aldridge responded “that is none of your business...I’m not going to answer that question”.
The resident said they were partly concerned about the letter as it included a threat to turn their water off.
“That would be a problem, because we need water. He has threatened that before and that would not be ideal,” she claimed.
“It’s outrageous and threatening behaviour. He is being intimidating.”
They said they have never said anything defamatory towards Aldridge and it’s always been about getting clean water.
“All I have been saying is about the water, it has never been about him. I have never said anything about him.”
Aldridge said he resorted to the cease-and-desist because he believed the resident attacked his character.
“The character thing is because in the media, [they] made comments about having to use rainwater and the water discolouring the clothing.”
Water authority Taumata Arowai said they were not able to comment on the cease-and-desist letter.
Acting head of operations Melinda Sando said: “We have not seen the cease-and-desist letter so we cannot comment on its contents.”