In the wide solemn space of the great hall in parliament house, family of the 38 Australian victims onboard MH17 gathered to mark 10 years since it was shot down, and unite in their ongoing pursuit of justice.

The passenger flight from Amsterdam was shot down while flying over eastern Ukraine by Russian-aligned forces, killing the 298 people it carried.

A trial in absentia found two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist guilty of their murders, and that Russia was in control of the separatist forces fighting in Ukraine at the time.

Russia refused to hand those men over.

Speaking to families and dignitaries at the memorial in the great hall, Governor-General Sam Mostyn said the commemoration was Australia's promise to remember those who died.

"To the families and loved ones of victims, here in this people's place, your fellow Australians remember and honour the precious ones lost to you now 10 years ago," Ms Mostyn said.

"Without them here all that is left is to find ways to reflect."

At the memorial, a list of the names of Australians killed was read aloud, as family members added flowers to a wreath at the stage.

The wreath will be laid by the Australian Federal Police and former prime minister Tony Abbott at a private wreath laying with family members and dignitaries.

'Your grief steels us'

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Russian-backed attack was a "cheating of innocence" and "future's promise broken" — but Australia was resolute in pursuing those accountable.

"Ten years ago, we woke to news as incomprehensible now as it was then," Senator Wong said.

"Your grief steels us in the fight for justice.

Senator Wong paid tribute to former foreign minister Julie Bishop who led the push for a unanimous condemnation by the United Nations' Security Council, something that "first seemed impossible", and led to backing for an independent investigation.

Ms Bishop said that UN Security Council meeting's quick resolution allowed Australia to gain international backing for its response.

"I'll never forget how we deployed over 500 Australian personnel to a temporary embassy that became a nerve centre for our operations, which became an increasingly complex and dangerous mission," Ms Bishop said.

"Having to convince president [Petro] Poroshenko and various political parties that we had to recall the Ukrainian Parliament that was on summer break in order to pass a resolution to enable us to enter the crash site.

"[And] confronting President [Vladimir] Putin and demanding that Russia take some accountability for this, and that they cooperate with the investigation rather than obfuscation and evasion."