They moved the earth with their hands

“That name [Boundary Street] is written into the blood of our people.” – Sam Watson.

It should never have happened. A prefabricated wall inadequately pinned. No proper inspection. A shallow trench become grave.

There are no words. One man is dead, and the other is seriously injured. Buried in trench under concrete. Wife and children bereft. 19 years old, and your father-in-law dies beside you, at work. It is your first day on the job . Your workmates scramble to dig you out from beneath the concrete rubble as if you were in Gaza.

Why build a shallow trench beside a wall that is likely to collapse. Whose idea was it in the first place to build a trench at the back of the property? I’ve written to the architects. Will they respond? I’m waiting several days later.

You can be sure they will wriggle out of it somehow. Perhaps they will simply say that it is the responsibility of the Engineers who designed the wall and the trench. Added to that the Engineers would pay insurance that covers them for this kind of defect. So in the end, all that happens is the family gets a payout. How does that help anyone, including workers on sites which are unsafe.

I rang council on 6 December 2025. Did they respond?  No, except to say that we may not be responsible and that the information may not be publicly available. They said there was no Development Approval and could not explain why. Maybe because it was social housing? I gave them the name of the planners/architects. They identified the property but said there was no development application even though construction had commenced. They fobbed me off by saying it was probably a state government matter. 

However, the council did give me a reference number and a time for callback by ‘engineers’. [Ref 22582602, call back by 10th December 2025].

I didn’t get a call back on the 10th December as council promised. When I rang on the 11th to find out the answers to my questions, the call centre person said that she would lodge my call. I asked if my query had been referred to the engineers as suggested by the original call center person. I also asked if there was a contact person.  The call centre person said she could not give any further information and did not explain why.

My level of dissatisfaction with council  is rising. So far I can give them only a zero out of 10 because they have told me nothing. Even in the knowledge that a man has died and another has been seriously hurt.

A lesson from the past

I do have some words. They come from my next-door neighbour who worked on the council, digging sewer trenchs back in Clem Jones days as Lord Mayor. There was a cave-in, and one of his mates was buried alive. To dig him out, they could not use shovels or any excavation equipment for fear of harming him. So the workers used their hands to excavate the trench that was nearly 7 metres deep. They moved the earth with their hands. They managed to drag him out alive. But 50 years later, Mr Buffadeci remembered the anguish and pain of trying to get him out. And his friend was alive!

West End has become concrete save for the homeless whom they wish to put in one room concrete boxes. Only the developers are happy.

Ian Curr
7 Dec 2025 updated 11 December 2025

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Everyone should return home safely from work

On 15 October 1970, Melbourne’s West Gate Bridge collapsed during construction, killing 35 workers in what remains Australia’s worst industrial disaster. In the 55 years that follow that disaster workers still die on construction sites at an alarming  rate.

The collapse of a wall at a construction site for housing social housing in West End this week may not seem to be of great moment given the alacrity of police claims that the death was “sudden and non-suspicious.”

To the contrary, the CFMEU said that some workers had previously raised safety concerns about the structural integrity of the retaining wall that collapsed — and some workers refused to continue work because they considered the site unsafe.

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Media Report

The family members of a Kiwi man who was killed at an Australian construction site have paid tribute to the “caring and amazing” father of eight.

Kimura Dixon, 45, died on Tuesday morning [2 December 2025] after he was crushed by a wall that collapsed at the worksite in Brisbane.

Dixon, a father of eight and grandfather of four, was declared dead at the scene, while his stepson, Rama, survived after being trapped under concrete for over an hour until he was freed by police and his fellow workers.

The 19-year-old was rushed to hospital for treatment for chest and leg injuries, with the family expecting him to make a full recovery.

Police said eight workers were on-site in a trench 500-600mm deep as a retaining wall collapsed nearby, trapping Dixon and his stepson.

“Six of those workers removed concrete from the injured man, and in doing so probably saved his life,” Queensland Police Inspector Chris Pemberton said.

Dixon’s partner, Katarina Bell, said she was overwhelmed with grief.

“While I’m so grateful and thankful my son made it out ok with nothing too serious, I am overwhelmed with disbelief, grief and massive waves of emotions,” Bell wrote on social media.

“Kimura you are the absolute love of my life. I have no idea how I’m going to handle this new chapter without you.

“When you kissed me goodbye today I didn’t think it would be the last kiss I’d ever get from you. I wish I hugged you a little bit longer before you left.”

Dixon’s daughter Rheign Reedy-Dixon told the Courier Mail he was “the most caring and amazing father ever”.

“He would’ve done anything if it meant he could come home to us,” she said.

“He filled rooms with laughter and especially love.

“I hope he wasn’t scared and didn’t suffer, I just wish we all could’ve said goodbye.”

A GoFundMe account has been created to help fly Dixon’s body “home to New Zealand so he can be laid to rest”, and has raised more than $24,000 so far.

“Kim was loved by so many and will be greatly missed,” the fundraiser page stated.

The construction site was declared a crime scene on Tuesday and an investigation into the incident has been launched by Workplace Health and Safety.

Credit: NZ Herald

Ministerial Approval for Social Housing

Social Housing requires ministerial approval because it is funded by the state government. This is because Ministerial Infrastructure Designation for Social Housing falls under under section 38 of the Queensland Planning Act 2016

The approval was signed by the Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie in which he claims the development of 65-67 Boundary Street South Brisbane : “will uplift the area and create a number of apartments during a housing crisis. The housing is provided in a well-located area. The proposal allows for greater community integration, access to services, and long- term stability for individuals and families who are struggling. The proposal addresses homelessness.“

The approval shows a lot of concern for the trees around the building and on the street. There is also mention of concern for: “potential impacts on investment value and the local social environment.”

As well as being the Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning, the Deputy Premier is also Minister for Industrial Relations. There is no mention in the document about occupational health or safety.

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