Mr Field was first to hit the send button with a media release stating the council was tiring of complaints from Mr Prassinos.
He issued the statement after police confirmed they would not press criminal charges against council staff who recently removed a fence Mr Prassinos and Mr Stewart erected around a Cardrona Hotel carpark.
"Over the years the council has endured a long series of attacks over its credibility from Wanaka ratepayer Andre Prassinos. These have consistently proved not only to be without substance, but also an unnecessary expense to the ratepayer," Mr Field said.
When approached for clarification, Mr Field said Mr Prassinos's "litany of complaints" over six years had probably cost the council "a considerable number of thousands of dollars" and wasted council time.
He hoped to provide figures today.
Mr Prassinos and Mr Stewart then accused Mr Field of omitting to acknowledge instances when Mr Prassinos's complaints were upheld.
He accused Mr Field of making "ad hominem" [personal] attacks and warned increased criticism was likely.
"If he is weary, he should perhaps take a rest and steel himself for what's to come," Mr Prassinos, who lives at Lincoln in Canterbury, said.
Mr Prassinos did not outline what Mr Field could expect next but soon after, emailed the ODT a letter he said he had also emailed to Mr Field, expressing concerns about the QLDC media release policy.
The letter said it seemed the QLDC was willing only to release items that disparaged critics and painted the council in a positive light.
Mr Field said, when contacted, he had not yet had time to read Mr Prassinos's email.
Mr Prassinos's grievances about council and ratepayer activities include complaining about Cardrona resident John Lee's bra fence, which resulted in the council removing the fence.
There was a complaint last year to the Auditor-General about the council's purchase of regulatory and planning agency, CivicCorp, which was not upheld; and this year there was a complaint to the Ombudsman about the council's lack of enforcement action in a case involving the construction of a concrete pad, which was also rejected.
Mr Field said the complaints had "grown somewhat tiresome" but there was little the council could do about them.
Mr Prassinos said some complaints had been dismissed but none had been without foundation.
Some had been upheld, including a complaint to the Ombudsman regarding the Waterways Bylaw, at a cost of tens of thousands to ratepayers.
The bra fence was a "patent traffic hazard" and removed as a result of his efforts and another complaint about a large dam prevented it from being put into service until it was properly inspected and received proper consent, he said.
Mr Prassinos wants fundamental changes within the council and feels there is a "wall between the executive of the Queenstown Lakes District Council and pretty much anyone else".
