A serious assault on a Queenstown community guide over the weekend is the result of "far too much cheap alcohol being available in Queenstown", Queenstown Alcohol Action New Zealand spokeswoman Ann Fowler says.
"It all comes back to the old thing of having far too much cheap alcohol being available late at night ... It really is a shame someone who was just doing their job had to be attacked so viciously," Ms Fowler said.
Sergeant Mark Gill, of Queenstown, said Alex Taylor (33) was patrolling Queenstown with his partner and fellow guide, Lily Reeve (23), at 1.40am.
The guides were approached by two intoxicated men and Mr Taylor was kicked, punched and head-butted to the ground. He was then kicked in the back.
After the assault, the two men ran off, but the guides chased after them and they were tackled by security staff in Queenstown Mall.
The security staff held the men to the ground and waited for police to arrive.
At the time of their arrest, a 21-year-old man was charged with serious assault and another man, also 21, was charged with disorderly behaviour likely in the circumstances to cause violence.
Mr Taylor was admitted to Lakes District Hospital, and then transferred to Southland Hospital for further assessment. Sgt Gill said Mr Taylor was discharged from Southland Hospital on Sunday.
Mr Taylor told police his injuries included a fractured left eye socket and a hairline fracture to a vertebrae.
The man charged with assault is due to appear in court next month.
