Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney urged the federal Coalition to meet the government "halfway" on arrangements for a referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
The referendum is planned for later this year, most likely October, November or early December.
The Minister, who urged the Coalition to reach across the aisle on Monday, also spelled out the government's intentions for the Voice, saying it will deliver "better practical outcomes … in health, education and housing".
This week parliamentarians in Canberra are considering the proposed legislation modernising the way referenda are run.
The federal government intended to remove requirements for a publicly-funded pamphlet outlining each side of the debate, and to ditch public funding of the formal Yes and No campaigns, but the Opposition says it will oppose the reform Bill unless those elements are retained.
The government has proposed a compromise position in which information pamphlets would be publicly funded but not the campaigns.
Ms Burney told Parliament on Monday the government was making "a significant concession" by agreeing to fund both Yes and No pamphlets.
"And we hope the Opposition sees this and meets us halfway to support this legislation," she said.
The referendum mechanics bill needs to pass before the government brings forward a distinct bill later this month that allows the referendum to be held.
On Monday Ms Burney reiterated this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create lasting change.
"We can't accept more of the same, more of the same poor outcomes, more of the same gaps in life expectancy. That is why a Voice to the Parliament is needed," she said.
"The Voice to the Parliament will mean that governments of all persuasions, will need to listen to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the issues that affect us.
"Respect works, recognition works. When a government listens to people with experience, with knowledge of Country and culture, then the policies and the programs are always more effective."
To date, the federal Liberals have refused to take a formal position on the Voice, with most Liberal MPs parroting Peter Dutton's demands for more detail on the proposal.
Early last month Mr Dutton met with Indigenous and other Constitutional experts on the proposed representative body but despite a long session he was unmoved, continuing his line of attack on the Voice.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese responded by suggesting Mr Dutton lacked goodwill and was attempting to "muddy the waters" on the issue.
Also in February, Uluru Dialogue co-chair Professor Megan Davis warned that voting for a specific Voice model could risk the body being "stuck in time", with its structure unable to adapt as needs change. Professor Davis said the referendum was simply a vote on the principle of having an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
Around the same time, delegates from Empowered Communities travelled to the nation's capital for discussions around bipartisan support for constitutional recognition of First Nations people but Mr Dutton refused to meet with them.
In November the federal Nationals made their opposition to the Voice official, leading former Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt to urge his former coalition partners to read the detailed report on the Voice produced by a committee he co-chaired.
Nationals MP Andrew Gee quit the party in protest, and has since campaigned alongside Ms Burney for a Yes vote.
