NZ man's murder charge to be downgraded

A New Zealander accused of murdering a man during a roadside scuffle alongside a Brisbane motorway is expected to have his charge downgraded.

Tamate Henry Heke allegedly pushed Shane Merrigan, 50, into the path of a truck as the pair faced off on the busy Gateway merge at Eight Mile Plains in December 2015.

Heke's lawyer Adam Magill said on Monday the father-of-three was expected to have the murder charge against him downgraded to manslaughter at his next appearance in late November.

Police have alleged Heke got into a dispute with Mr Merrigan over a traffic incident.

Both stopped their cars on the Pacific Motorway-Gateway Motorway merge and had an altercation between their two vehicles.

Heke then allegedly attacked Mr Merringan, causing him to fall into the truck's path.

The Brisbane Magistrates Court has previously heard while Heke had been a model citizen, Mr Merrigan had a history of being involved in road rage dramas.

The case will return to court on November 21.