Greens stand by opposition to IR bill

The Greens say they won't be backing government laws to bring back the building industry watchdog.

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said the government should instead establish a broad-based national anti-corruption watchdog.

"We're seeing Malcolm Turnbull using the issue of the building commission as a bludgeon to try and get his way through the Senate, continuing on the divisive, destructive approach employed by Tony Abbott," Senator Di Natale told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.

Senator Di Natale said it was still up to the Senate to decide how it handles the legislation.

"The options are the Senate will make a decision about whether it should sit, about the sorts of legislation it wants to see debated," he said.

"Ultimately, those decisions are questions for the Senate, they're not questions for the governor-general."