Jeanette Ellis intends to write submissions to the Queenstown Lakes District Council about its freedom camping policy after the incident which occurred on Sunday morning outside the Base backpackers in Brownston St.
The $200 fine was waived yesterday by Lakes Environment regulatory and corporate manager Lee Webster after Ms Ellis emailed a receipt showing they had been in the backpackers at the time.
Shortly after Mr Webster received the complaint, he confirmed the fee would be waived because it was clear Ms Ellis could prove she had not been sleeping in her van, which was parked near the hostel.
However, he defended the actions of the enforcement officer, who was entitled to issue a ticket if he had reasonable belief people were sleeping in a vehicle in the no freedom camping zone, Mr Webster said.
Enforcement officers were not required to prove beyond reasonable doubt people were in the van.
The officer had explained although the van's curtains were closed, he could glimpse sleeping bags in the back and it appeared as if people were sleeping there.
It was also early in the morning and dark, he said.
"We don't knock on doors and wake people up, for health and safety reasons," Mr Webster said.
Ms Ellis said she was pleased the fee had been waived but did not agree with the policy of not disturbing sleepers.
"We had quite a heated discussion. I wasn't in agreeance with him. But I guess it raises awareness for people ... So I will be making submissions about freedom camping. They should find out beyond reasonable doubt that there is someone in the van," she said.
Ms Ellis first complained to Wanaka police on Sunday, alleging harassment and false allegation.
She said she was told by an officer, whose name she did not get, that police were receiving many complaints of people being accused incorrectly of freedom camping but she should complain to Lakes Environmental.
Lakes Environmental was not open on Sunday or Monday, so she emailed her complaint to media outlets yesterday morning, then posted and emailed letters of complaint to Lakes Environmental.
Mr Webster said the complaint could have been sorted out easily on Tuesday if Lakes Environmental had been contacted then.
However, people had 28 days to query a ticket before fines were enforced, Mr Webster said.
He was not aware Ms Ellis had complained to police but said he did not think issuing a ticket amounted to harassment, particularly as the ticket contained information on how to resolve disputes and obtain a cancellation.
Sergeant Paul Crosswell said yesterday Ms Ellis' complaint had not been entered in police records.
He did not know how many complaints police were getting about freedom camping infringement tickets. The matter was for Lakes Environmental, he said.
Freedom camping bylaws were introduced in the Queenstown Lakes district in August last year, after the introduction of nationwide legislation designed to reduce the indiscriminate disposal of rubbish and human waste by the roadside, in laybys and at scenic spots.
The district's enforcement officers have issued 1423 tickets (worth $284,600) since then, with 411 (worth $82,200) paid to date.
