Kay Catanzariti’s son, Ben, was killed on a Canberra construction site in 2012, but four years later prosecutors dropped all charges against a maintenance company over the death.

The family was given new hope when the ACT Coroner ruled an inquest be reopened and evidence re-examined, but without the means to fight another legal battle Mrs Catanzariti wondered if anyone would be able to once again speak for her son.

On Monday night, the CFMEU ACT secretary Dean Hall called Mrs Catanzariti and said the union would supply a legal team to represent Ben in court on Thursday ahead of the March 20 commencement of the inquest.

“I’m relieved,” Mrs Catanzariti said. “I know now I’ve tried my utmost and I can’t do any more myself for Ben.”

More good news came from Shadow Employment Minister Brendan O’Connor and Senator Doug Cameron, who said they would fight to get a long-promised Senate inquiry into construction deaths launched this year.

Mr Hall said Mrs Catanzariti was one of the strongest advocates for safety reform he had ever encountered.

“The power and strength of this woman is incredible,” Mr Hall said.

“She’s ruffled a lot of feathers and while a lot would have given up by now, ground into submission by the process, Kay’s kept going and it’s a credit to her.”

In a letter sent to a number of politicians and officials, Mrs Catanzariti said the fight was not about blame or retribution: “It is about understanding what objects, people and (ultimately) systems failed, so that safeguards can be put in place.

“We are extremely concerned that if these issues are not raised, Ben’s passing will sadly and simply add to a catalogue of loss… we will not be the only broken family unless failures of responsibility are identified (and corrected). No-one wants to live in a nation built on the bones of our young workers.”