New Zealand dad-to-be seriously injured after brutal attack at Australian pub

Haimona Tawha's whānau have been told he will have limited vision from his left eye but his right eye will have to be removed. Photo / whānau

Originally published by Māori Television

A 28-year-old New Zealand man is in hospital with critical injuries after he was assaulted outside the Windaroo Tavern in Queensland, Australia, during his shift as a security guard at the establishment.

Haimona Tawha (Ngāti Māhanga, Waikato Tainui, Ngāti Raukawa), is in intensive care with shattered cheekbones, a broken nose, a fractured jaw, broken ribs, and a fracture on his C2 vertebrae.

Doctors initially told Tawha's whānau that he would be permanently blind as a result of the injuries sustained.

"It was absolutely shattering," his sister Estella Davis says.

"The initial shock and just not being able to awhi him or know how to do that was the hardest part for us."

Haimona Tawha was rushed to hospital after he was beaten by several men outside a Queensland pub during his shift as a security guard. Photo / whānau

Tawha, who works three jobs to support himself and his partner, who is six months' pregnant with their first child, began his shift at the tavern at 7pm on Friday.

According to Davis, who spoke exclusively to Te Ao Māori News, Tawha was attacked by the men towards the end of his shift, early Saturday morning.

"He was trying to stop a fight, and five of the men who were a part of it turned against him," she said.

Tawha has been in hospital for four nights, in a stable condition, with no known damage to his brain.

"He can't open his mouth but he is able to communicate," Davis said.

"He's still cracking jokes where he can, which brings a lot of light to our life at this very dark time."

After a re-examination today, his whānau was informed that he will have limited vision from his left eye but they will need to remove his right eye.

Haimona Tawha and his partner Tereza are expecting their first child in three months. Photo / Supplied

"it is a little bit of a silver lining for us. Knowing now that it's not as bad as we thought, it just means we can park it for a bit until we get some solid results."

The whānau are trying to raise $50,000 to pay for medical bills and to support his partner and soon-to-be-born daughter Raiden.

"Oh man, honestly our whānau have no words for how grateful we are for the support of our community and even strangers. It's incredible."

A Queensland Police Service spokesperson says a 21-year-old Loganlea man has been arrested and charged over the incident.

He is due to appear in the Beenleigh Magistrates Court on September 28. No plea has been entered.

The police spokesperson says it is alleged a disturbance involving a number of people occurred at licensed premises at Beaudesert Beenleigh Rd at Windaroo around 2.20am on August 28.