Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has criticised the federal government's apparent abandonment of the truth-telling element of the Makarrata commission, arguing the government is engaged in "double-speak".

The government has been criticised after comments on the weekend by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, where he responded to calls to embark on a Truth and Justice Commission, by saying: "Well, that's not what we have proposed. What we've proposed is Makarrata just being the idea of coming together…"

In response, one the architects of the Uluru Statement, Pat Anderson, said she found the PM's comments "confusing," and asked if he was "rolling back on the Labor election commitment to the Makarrata commission?"

Facing the media on Monday, newly appointed Minister for Indigenous Australians, Malarndirri McCarthy, attempted to downplay the PM's comments, saying they were not the words she had heard before arguing the "interpretation of what the prime minister said has been taken completely further than what it was meant to".

"I'm not sure how many times I can say that the principles of the Uluru Statement from the Heart are very much supported by our government," Senator McCarthy said.

In response, Senator Thorpe said the government was in "damage control" and argued Senator McCarthy was refusing to "clearly answer the question when asked directly" about Makarrata.

"This isn't a clarification, this is about trying to keep everyone guessing," the Gunnai Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung senator said on X (formerly Twitter).

"It's the dishonest double-speak we've become so used to with Labor. They want Makarrata supporters to believe it's still on the cards, while signalling to [Peter] Dutton supporters that they aren't committed.

"Labor must come clean and stop stringing everyone along with false hope."

Named after a Yolŋu word for coming together after a struggle, Makarrata is the culmination of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

The term itself has taken on many forms throughout history, with the Yolŋu people using the concept of Makarrata to help maintain social and political harmony for centuries.

Labor placed the Makarrata commission as part of its costed policy platform before the federal election and $5.8 million was budgeted to its establishment in the Albanese government's first budget.

Speaking on ABC's Insiders at the Garma festival last year in the lead up to the referendum, the PM said the funding was about "establishing a structure [for the commission], which will happen".

However, over the weekend he argued he hadn't changed his position, stating: "Makarrata [is] a Yolŋu word that simply means coming together after a struggle. I'm somewhat perplexed at why people see that as being complex."

Labor are full of promises but no real action on Blak justice. They've proven that.

And they continue to perpetuate the Genocide through ongoing policies that undermine our self determination. 3/4

— Senator Lidia Thorpe (@SenatorThorpe) August 6, 2024

Senator Thorpe argued Labor is "full of promises but no real action on Blak justice".

"They've proven that," she said. "And they continue to perpetuate the Genocide through ongoing policies that undermine our self-determination."

The Greens have introduced legislation in the Senate towards establishing a national truth and justice commission or Makarrata, and Senator Thorpe seemed to support this, calling for Labor to "clearly recommit to a truth-telling commission".

"Treaty and Truth is what this country needs to mature as a nation," she said.

"It's the only way to bring peace to First Peoples and the rest of the population."

Opposition leader Peter Dutton has said there will be no truth-telling commission or Makarrata under a government he leads.