Soane Tuakalau, a Cross River Rail worker in Brisbane, testified before an inquiry into the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) that he witnessed a female colleague being pushed at a Dutton Park worksite on May 1, 2024. After being struck in the head during a confrontation with CFMEU members who were attempting to block workers from entering the site, Tuakalau says he "saw red" and got involved in a brawl that spilled onto Noble Street. The incident led to further harassment of him and other workers who resisted the union's actions.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On May 1, 2024, Soane Tuakalau, a Cross River Rail worker in Brisbane, told an inquiry into the CFMEU that he "saw red" after being struck in the head during a brawl at the Dutton Park worksite. According to Tuakalau, he and a group of around 10 workers, including three women, attempted to enter the site on Noble Street but were confronted by about 20 CFMEU men blocking access. These individuals were described as wearing balaclavas to conceal their identities. The incident escalated into a physical altercation when Tuakalau and others tried to gain entry despite union members pushing a female colleague, leading to injuries for Tuakalau. This week's hearings will continue with more witnesses discussing union activity at the Cross River Rail site in Dutton Park.
Written for “Cross River Rail Brawl Inquiry” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
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answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
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No political leaning scored for article 59284 · logged 2026-10-06
In short:
A Cross River Rail worker says a brawl at a Dutton Park worksite began when CFMEU members pushed a female member of his team.
asserted
members → say → team
Soane Tuakalau told a commission of inquiry into the CFMEU that being struck in the head in the brawl caused him "to see red".
What's next?
This week's hearings are expected to hear from witnesses on union activity at the Dutton Park Cross River Rail site.
asserted
hearings → tell → site
A labourer on a Brisbane Cross River Rail site has told an inquiry into the CFMEU he "saw red" after being struck in the head while trying to enter a work site, triggering a brawl which spilled out onto a busy road.
asserted
which → tell → road
Soane Tuakalau was a member of the CFMEU on the May 1, 2024, when he showed up to work at the Dutton Park site.
uncertain
he → show → site
He had been told the union was going to try and form a picket line and block workers from getting onto site, but told the inquiry he had to work "to put food on the table for [his] family".
asserted
he → tell → family
As part of a group of around 10 workers, including three women, he approached the entry on Noble Street before being confronted by a group of around 20 CFMEU men blocking access.
"They were big men, wearing balaclavas … covering their faces," Mr Tuakalau said.
asserted
Tuakalau → include → faces
As they tried to enter the site, they were physically restrained, and Mr Tuakalau told the inquiry one of his female colleagues, Sky Lewis, was pushed.
asserted
one → try → colleagues
"Ms Lewis, to us and to our team, is like a little sister," he said.
asserted
he → say → sister
"So seeing her in that predicament and being physically touched is what triggered us boys."
asserted
what → see → boys
A video played to the inquiry showed Mr Tuakalau trying to break up a confrontation which then broke out between a worker and one of the picketers.
asserted
which → play → picketers
Mr Tuakalau, who was wearing a blue Nike cap, said he was then struck in the head by a union member.
asserted
he → wear → member
"He hit me in the head, which caused me to see red.
asserted
me → hit → red
"At that moment when I was hit, I don't really remember anything until I was calm."
asserted
I → hit → anything
The video showed punches being thrown and the fight spilling out onto Noble Street during the morning commute.
asserted
fight → show → commute
Mr Tuakalau said he was subjected to racist jeers while they waited for police, and was told "wait until you get out, we will stab you".
asserted
we → say → you
After the incident, he told the inquiry he and the others who stood up to the CFMEU were "hunted" by the union.
asserted
who → tell → union
Ms Lewis, who also gave evidence to the hearing, was so shaken by the Dutton Park incident she had to be met on site by a colleague and escorted to work.
asserted
she → give → work
'Targeting me'
One of those allegedly targeted after the Dutton Park incident was Fou Ah Lam.
uncertain
One → target → incident
Mr Ah Lam had forced his way through the picket line on May 1 and told the hearing he was so incensed by seeing Ms Lewis get pushed, he ended up punching the offending CFMEU member on the chin during the ensuing brawl.
uncertain
Lewis → force → brawl
Following that, he had several run-ins with CFMEU members, who would show up on site "like a pack of hyenas wanting meat".
asserted
who → follow → meat
A few days after a particularly hostile incident at the Yeerongpilly station rebuild, Mr Ah Lam said two men tried to jump him while he was starting his car getting ready to go to work.
asserted
he → say → work
"I put the key in the ignition [and] felt punches on my neck and back and rib cage," he told the inquiry.
asserted
he → put → inquiry
"They were waiting for me and targeting me."
asserted
They → wait → me
Mr Ah Lam said he fought back, punching his assailants in the stomach before one of them grabbed a pipe and hit him with it.
asserted
one → say → it
The incident, which lasted only a few seconds, was captured on CCTV.
asserted
which → last → CCTV
After he was struck by the pipe, Mr Ah Lam said he ran into the house to "grab a sledgehammer", but the men had gone by the time he came back.
asserted
he → strike → time
He said he was sure his attackers were associated with the CFMEU.
asserted
attackers → say → CFMEU
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