The Australian Greens introduced legislation in the Senate on Tuesday towards establishing a national truth and justice commission or Makarrata, the Truth and Justice Commission Bill 2024.

Noongar Yamatji senator for Western Australia Dorinda Cox said the Greens had long supported pursuing national truth-telling.

"Last year during the referendum… we sought to support the campaign for voice. But it has been nearly a year and the government have been silent on what they are doing relation to Makarrata or a truth and justice commission," she said.

"I have been across the country talking to people in communities and seeking their advice in relation to the formation of this… What we will do today is describe some of the key principles… It will not be the final product, we hope that it will go into an inquiry (and will) start another national dialogue about the importance of telling the pre-colonial history; the 65,000 years of history, language, connection, and people.

"And today, we hope that we will start this conversation with Australia."

NSW senator David Shoebridge acknowledged the leadership of Senator Cox "in bringing this bill to Parliament… working across the country, with First Nations stakeholders and communities and then bringing the bill to the federal parliament for a national truth commission".

"This country needs truth-telling… this country needs to hear about the enormous resilience and strength of First Nations cultures, the 65,000 years of pre-colonial history… this country needs to learn some hard truths about what's happened since colonisation," he said.

"The violence is dispossession of children, the attacks on culture and country and those attacks continue. This is a hard dialogue. But I think it's one that the Australian people are ready to have like never before.

"Millions and millions of Australians were shattered by the decision on the referendum, and I've been asking this government what's next? What's the next step towards the pathway to heal and bring together this country? And surely that next step is truth."

Senator Cox said prior to tabling the bill that the Greens would introduce the legislation and provide the first reading, then would work in negotiation with the federal government on setting terms of reference for an inquiry.

"I have already met with Minister Burney," she said.

Senator Cox said truth-telling would make clear why treaties and Voice-type bodies are needed.

"The government's focus has been very different from ours. Our policy has been very clear… Last year, our leader Adam Bandt and myself came out… and said we wanted to do truth-telling, that we thought it was really important. We didn't want to drop the ball on this and we will continue to pursue this," she said.

"We asked for $250 million to be put towards a treaty, truth-telling and justice commission almost immediately post referendum and we are still asking questions at Senate estimates.

"We hope that the… Prime Minister will go to Garma (festival) this year and actually announce that they're supporting this that they're actually going to put some money behind it to start the process."What we are concerned with and why we are bringing this bill is we want everyone to be engaged in the co-design process. We want to make sure that we strike the right balance, but we also see the essential sense of urgency."