The government has banned the Yarra and Darebin councils in Melbourne from holding citizenship ceremonies after they passed motions to dump Australia Day celebrations as part of their support for the "change the date" movement.

Assistant Immigration Minister Alex Hawke accused the Greens-led councils of trying to "hijack" Australia Day. The government issued a new regulation under existing citizenship laws that explicitly prohibits the two councils receiving citizenship pledges.

But now the federal Greens believe they can get the numbers to pass a disallowance motion that will reverse the government's edict.

The party will move the motion on Tuesday, and hopes to get it through the chamber with the backing of Labor and the Nick Xenophon Team.

While neither Labor nor NXT support changing the date, the Greens hope they will be able to win their support on the basis that the government should not be intervening to silence democratically-elected local councils. Labor described the government's move to ban the councils from citizenship ceremonies as "heavy-handed".

Greens leader Richard Di Natale said both councils had shown "courage and leadership".

"Our disallowance will stop the Liberals in Canberra interfering with councils around the country who want to make this important statement about our nation and its history," he said.

"All Australians should be able to participate in a celebration of our nation, and the Liberals should get out of the way of progressive councils showing the courage of their convictions."

Greens citizenship spokesman Nick McKim??? said all councils were having the conversation about how to be more "inclusive and respectful".

"They should not be bullied out of this important conversation by a vindictive minister acting like a school prefect on a power trip," he said.

In Sydney, Inner West council flirted with the idea of following Yarra and Darebin's lead and scrubbing Australia Day celebrations. It has opted instead to offer citizenship ceremonies during NAIDOC Week as an alternative to January 26.

The federal government encourages citizenship ceremonies to be held on either Australia Day or Australian Citizenship Day, in September.

The debate about citizenship ceremonies comes as the government looks to tighten the nation's citizenship laws, including a tough new English language test and the requirement for applicants to spend four years as permanent residents.

But the changes appear doomed in the upper house, where it is staunchly opposed by Labor, the Greens and Senator Xenophon.

Despite the measures not yet being law, prospective Australian citizens are informed the changes will be backdated to April 20, when the policy was announced. All applications since April 20 are being processed under the new rules.

The Greens will also attempt this week to pass a bill through the Senate to improve medicinal cannabis access for people with a terminal illness.