Ginninderra MLA Yvette Berry fought back tears as she spoke about 21-year-old Ben Catanzariti, who was killed during a concrete pour at a Kingston Foreshore worksite last year.

Ms Berry, a former official of the United Voice union, attacked the Liberal Party for criticising unions.

“It’s OK for people over there to be talking about unions being bullies but they’re the only ones that represent and will stick up for workers who are being treated badly on their worksites, have their safety compromised or maybe even their lives,” she said.

“And I think that’s shameful.”

Ms Berry was speaking during debate on a resolution moved by Labor MLA Mick Gentleman reaffirming the importance of workplace safety in the ACT and noting the growing levels of injury reported in recent years.

Last month, tributes were paid to Mr Catanzariti at the opening of the new National Workers Memorial on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.

His mother, Kay Catanzariti, has become an outspoken workplace safety campaigner.

During the debate, Liberal MLA and Senate candidate Zed Seselja said more work needed to be done to improve safety on building sites but this should not be used as an excuse to permit union bullying.

Mr Seselja backed federal Opposition Leader Tony’s Abbott’s proposal to re-establish the controversial Office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner.

Mr Seselja said it was important “that we allow our inspectors to do their jobs but we don’t have a situation where we use safety as a proxy for unions to bully employers, as we see on so many occasions”.

“And I think the Building and Construction Commission is something that does need to come back.”

The Construction, Forestry and Mining Union reacted angrily to Mr Seselja’s comments. ACT branch secretary Dean Hall said the ABCC – the union’s most hated enemy – had been a barrier to workplace safety.

“We have the highest fatality rate in the country and we have a rate of serious accidents that are 33per cent worse than the national average,” Mr Hall said.

“Does Zed really believe that the ABCC will stop workers being killed or seriously injured in this town when the ABCC stifles the ability of workers from speaking out about safety?

“The CFMEU will now adopt the position that Zed is an enemy of construction workers, their basic safety rights and their families and as such he doesn’t have the right to represent them.”

Mr Seselja said employers, as well as unions, were concerned about safety on building sites.

“No workplace death is acceptable. One workplace death is one too many and we need to be vigilant and we need to work hard,” Mr Seselja said.