A Wellington parking warden has had facial reconstruction surgery after being punched in the head outside Newtown School.

* Did you see the attack? Email news@dompost.co.nz or call 04 4740 196

The daylight attack, late on Friday morning, left the warden unconscious, with a fractured eye socket and broken nose, his employer Wellington City Council said.

MONIQUE FORD/STUFF The attack happened outside Newtown School, where construction work is taking place.

A witness said the warden, who is in his 50s, was walking along Riddiford St when the attack happened.

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"[The attacker] punched him on the side of the head as [the warden] was walking away."

CAMERON BURNELL/STUFF Rongotai MP Paul Eagle says he knows the warden, and considers him a friend. He would never provoke confrontation, or retaliate. (File photo)

The attacker "dropped him to the deck", the witness said.

"What was great for me was seeing two parking officers there within minutes, along with police and ambulance."

Acting council chief executive Kane Patena said on Sunday that the warden had since undergone surgery.

KEVIN STENT/STUFF Wellington City Council wardens were equipped with body cameras in 2017, but the warden "sucker punched" on Friday never had time to turn it on.

"I visited the parking officer this morning. The officer is conscious and will fully recover, but it will take some time."

The warden passed on his "sincere gratitude" to the members of public who helped, and to those other wardens who rushed to the scene.

"I am utterly appalled and disgusted at what can only be described as an idiotic and gutless act of thuggery," Patena said.

KEVIN STENT/FAIRFAX NZ Wellington city councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman says the man needed facial surgery, and he wished him a speedy recovery.

"Our parking officers are good men and women, who are simply trying to do their job.

"Not one of our staff deserves to be treated like this, irrespective of what people think about the profession."

The council equipped wardens with body cameras in 2017. However, although the warden in Newtown was wearing a camera, he did not have time to activate it, Patena said.

"It appears the parking warden was walking away, and was effectively sucker-punched."

Rongotai MP Paul Eagle said he knew the warden, who was in his 50s, and considered him a friend. He described him as a humble man who would never provoke confrontation, and would never retaliate.

Parking had long been a problem in Newtown, and it had been exacerbated by having three big hospital-related building works going on: a new children's hospital, a Mary Potter Hospice development, and work at Wakefield Hospital, Eagle said.

The council and Capital & Coast District Health Board had long known of the issue and now had to take action. "I hope the parking officer is recovering well."

There was a feeling in Newtown that there was a lack of policing in the suburb, Eagle said.

He was meeting with Wellington area commander Inspector Chris Bensemann on Monday and would raise the issue.

Councillor Chris Calvi-Freeman, who holds the transport strategy and operations portfolio, said the warden was out of surgery, which required "some sort of reconstruction" to his face.

"He has had a significant injury to his face, and that has required surgery."

The warden was now fully conscious and everyone at the council wished him a full and speedy recovery, Calvi-Freeman said.

"An attack on a parking warden simply doing his job is completely and absolutely unacceptable."

Council human resources director Nicola Brown said WorkSafe was going to be notified, and the council would carry out an internal investigation, which was standard practice in cases such as this.

"We are also actively supporting our parking officers, who will no doubt be shaken by this incident."

Police spoke to the warden on Sunday afternoon.

The alleged offender, a 39-year-old man, would be charged with wounding with the intent to injure. He was on bail and due to appear in court on Friday, police said.