Payne Haas’s dad Gregor Haas opens up run-ins with law, and Joan Taufua’s release from jail

The tragic death of Payne Haas’s brother in 2020 has been punctuated by a number of law-breaking offences involving his mother and brother. But Haas Sr says his family is misunderstood.

Payne Haas (far left) with his family. His brother Chace is pictured at the front.

The father of Broncos NRL superstar Payne Haas has opened up about his private struggles, insisting their family are not thugs in the wake of his wife’s stint in jail.

Breaking his silence with The Sunday Mail, Gregor Haas spoke of wife Joan’s time behind bars and claims she is determined to stay out of trouble after pleading guilty to two vicious assaults in the past three years.

Gregor also addressed perceptions of his family as incessant troublemakers after a number of run-ins with the law in recent times, including Payne verbally intimidating a female police officer last year.

Earlier this month, Payne’s mother Joan Taufua pleaded guilty to assaulting two security guards in a wild casino attack.

The 46-year-old punched one security guard in the face and spat on another guard’s cheek during an altercation at The Star Casino on the Gold Coast in May this year.

The attack occurred after the guards confronted one of Taufua’s sons.

Payne Haas's parents Gregor and Joan insist they’re not thugs and are determined to stay out of trouble after several run-ins with the law.

Magistrate Ron Kilner slammed Taufua, describing her behaviour as a “most vulgar, vile offence”, before slapping the mother of 10 with a nine-month jail sentence, with a release date of October 1 after serving time in custody.

Joan has returned to the family home on the Gold Coast and is banned from attending nominated precincts. It is understood The Star Casino, the scene of her latest act of violence, is on the banned list.

Victims of Taufua’s attacks have described her as an intimidating figure who “deserves to be in jail”, but after walking free following a month-long stint in prison, Gregor says his wife has learnt a lesson.

“It’s been up there with the toughest four weeks of our lives,” Haas Snr said.

“Joan is back home now. She can’t go to certain venues, but she is back with us and it’s fantastic. We are back to normal as a family.

“I can’t say too much about what she did (assaulting the security guards) because Joan has some strict conditions around her release, but all I can say is it’s happened and we don’t want it to happen again.

In 2019, Joan was sentenced to two years jail, but immediately paroled, to help support their son Chase. Picture: AAP.

“Look, life is life and you can never predict what it throws at you. You can only handle what life throws at you, but we certainly hope there’s no more trouble.”

The Haas clan’s story is as controversial as it is raw and complex.

The Polynesian family has been embroiled in a series of fiery clashes with police but they have also been subjected to extreme personal hardship.

More than two decades ago, Gregor and Joan were passengers in a road accident that rendered Payne’s brother Chace, strapped into a baby seat, a quadriplegic after his spinal cord was damaged in the incident.

Chace died unexpectedly of respiratory failure two years ago.

Aged 21, he spent his life in a wheelchair and required daily treatment from Joan and Gregor, who quit his job as a cook in the Australian Army to care for their son.

Chace’s tragic death has been punctuated by a number of law-breaking offences involving his mother and brother.

Payne Haas (far left) with his family. His brother Chace is pictured at the front.

In May 2019, Joan first fell foul of the law for a savage road-rage attack on a delivery driver, who, in the eyes of Taufua, had cut her off at a Gold Coast McDonald’s drive-thru.

Magistrate Pamela Dowse lashed Taufua’s “absolutely unforgivable behaviour” and imposed a two-year jail sentence, but granted immediate parole because of Joan’s care requirements for Chace.

Eighteen months later, Taufua’s highest-profile son, Broncos State of Origin forward Payne, clashed with police at Tweed Heads, triggering a three-game suspension and $50,000 fine from the NRL Integrity Unit.

Asked about the view his family are thugs who lack respect for authority figures, Gregor said: “Look, people will have their opinions, but I know we’re not like that as a family.

“I know we’ve made mistakes. I can’t sit here and pretend we’re perfect.

“No family is perfect and we’re certainly not perfect.

“I used to get annoyed at first about what people would say and think about us, but now I’m OK with it. It’s each to their own.

“With social media, there is a lot more focus, particularly on someone like Payne who is an NRL player, but we love each other and that’s all that matters.

“We’ve had our tough times as a family.

Haas’ family watching Payne representing the Blues.

“The hardest thing we’ve had to live with is the judgement. We would walk down a shopping centre with Chace in a wheelchair and people stare. They would constantly stare.

“People don’t see what Joan has had to do raising a disabled child for 20 years. She did everything, changing him, feeding him, all the medical appointments.

“It’s not easy to raise a child with quadriplegia and Joan’s love for our kids is amazing.

“I know Payne’s mum better than anyone and what people see in the media of her is not the full story.”

Taufua’s period of incarceration took a toll on Gregor. Of their nine living kids, six are still at school, with their daughter Gypsy the youngest child at age seven.

Gregor was also caring for his wife’s elderly father, who lives on their Gold Coast hinterland property.

The Haas family built a shrine for Chace after his tragic passing in 2020.

“It was very hard, it was the longest four weeks we’ve had as a family,” he said.

“Life wasn’t the same without Joan. I know people say bad things about her but Joan is my wife and I love her. And as a bloke, it was a good reminder of what the beautiful women do to keep the family unit running and husbands take it for granted.

“I was doing everything. I had to do the caring, the washing, the dinners, the school runs, one-on-one time with each kid and then I was looking after Joan’s older dad who lives with us, so it was really stressful.

“As men, you forget how much your mums do and the role they play.

“As soon as she got out, Joan was straight back into family life. She makes it look easy.

“The Joan that I know is a loving mother, a loving wife and she is protective of our family like any mum would be.

“I love Joan to death and that will never change. I was 17 when we first met, so we have been together for more than 20 years.

“She loves her children, does anything for them and will always back her children and that’s why I love her.

“I consider myself a lucky man.”