The Queenstown Lakes District Council says despite the alleged assault of a community guide in the weekend - the second such incident in three months - the guides are well placed to deal with the risks they face.
A 30-year-old man was arrested for assault after the community guide was punched and his partner threatened when they intervened in an alcohol-fuelled confrontation on Saturday nightWhen questioned by the Otago Daily Times, council general manager of community services Paul Wilson said the guides were doing a good job in providing reassurance to the public.
"Unfortunately, they've had a couple of incidents where they've come into harm's way when people are unable to control themselves.
I think with their training and the skills they have, they're well placed to manage that," Mr Wilson said.
"The guides are there to provide a safe environment for the public, to give information and reassure the public and help those people that get themselves into grief to get home ... and I think they are extremely effective at doing that."
Mr Wilson said council would soon talk with Armourguard, the company which operates the service, about the issue.
"Obviously we'll discuss this in the next meeting as to the factors around this and whether we need to modify any of our practices or not," he said.
Community guide service pioneer Merv Aoake, who worked as a guide during its three-month trial in 2008, was shocked at the alleged assault.
"The guys themselves are just extra eyes and ears on the street, just trying to support the visitors and also the locals who are out enjoying themselves," Mr Aoake said.
He said from his personal experience, violence had been identified as an area of concern for the community guides.
"You're dealing with people who may be under the influence of drugs and alcohol and things like that, and you don't know when and for whatever reason they want to fly off the handle so it's just a matter of protecting yourself and not really putting yourself in the way of these things."
Armourguard general manager Ian Anderson said in a press release the company was not able to comment on the alleged assault as the matter was now before the court.
