Lobbyist sticks to guns

EUFA's Suzanne Edmonds says James Macfarlane is discrediting her group. Photo / Northern Advocate

A lawyer with a long-standing grievance against a financial lobby group says one of the organisation's founders has the skills of a terrorist.

Wellington barrister James Macfarlane says he has complained to police about the actions of Exposing Unacceptable Financial Activities (EUFA), a body which campaigns on behalf of investors burned in finance company collapses.

It is led by brother-and-sister team Suzanne Edmonds and Gray Eatwell.

Edmonds and Eatwell fronted at a meeting in Timaru on Friday in support of troubled South Canterbury Finance founder Alan Hubbard.

Before the meeting, Macfarlane called other members of the Hubbard supporters' group, apparently to warn them about Eatwell and Edmonds.

Eatwell, a former professional deer shooter, was "far more skilled" than an Australian terror cell convicted last year after allegedly planning to blow up the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Macfarlane claimed to the Herald on Sunday.

"Compared to an experienced bushman who was a marksman, these guys were of much lesser ability."

Hubbard supporters' group organiser Paul Carruthers confirmed he had received a call from Macfarlane.

He said the barrister asked him, "Do you know who you're dealing with?" Carruthers told him to put any allegations in writing.

"That was one of the more puzzling moments I've ever had in my life, that phone call."

Macfarlane also called Taupo businessman John Funnell, another Hubbard support group leader.

Funnell said he asked, "What's driving you?" He said Macfarlane wouldn't give him an answer.

Funnell said Macfarlane referred to the fact that Eatwell had been bankrupted in 2000 after losing his West Coast farm to the BNZ and that his son had been fined for dirty dairying.

He also cited EUFA's failure to file annual accounts.

"I said to him, 'Hey mate, this is hardly bloody grand larceny'."

Eatwell now lives near Winton in Southland. Detective Sergeant John Kean of the Winton police said he had investigated a complaint from Macfarlane that Eatwell was going to attend the sentencing of former Blue Chip boss Mark Bryers at the Auckland District Court in May and cause trouble.

He visited Eatwell and found nothing to substantiate the claims. "It was obvious after speaking to the man that there was no threat posed.

"I'm just not sure what's driving all this from Macfarlane and what these people have done to upset him."

Macfarlane's allegations appear to stem from a book Eatwell wrote about his lengthy battle with the BNZ.

In it, he describes the day his farm was seized. "I was frightened that I may lose my cool and I was acutely aware of my ability to kill," he wrote. The Eatwells left the property without incident.

Eatwell said he did not even own a firearm now.

He said his financial woes were no secret. "That is why I stand up in public about these issues because of the unfairness of it all.

"I've written a book for goodness' sake, I'm not worried about the public exposure but I certainly am worried about the inferences and the effort this chap goes to."

Edmonds confirmed that EUFA had been struck off as an incorporated society because it had not filed its accounts due to an error. She was about to put the accounts up on the group's website to prove its transparency.

Macfarlane had approached her three years ago as a supporter of EUFA, she said. "The worst of it is that is he has actually held us up from supporting people or maybe getting somewhere with some of this stuff because people have discredited us."