There was also talk from Treasurer Joe Hockey that he'd take tax cuts to the next election, and a Summit where business and unions pledged to work together on reforming taxes, employment and superannuation.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott spent much of the week in the Torres Strait and Cape York visiting communities, schools and businesses.
He started at Mur, or Murray Island, the birthplace of Eddie Koiki Mabo.
Eddie Mabo's battle to prove the continuous connection to his traditional lands led to the 1992 High Court ruling confirming Indigenous ownership, paving the way for all future Indigenous land claims.
"It is a tremendous honour for me to be here at the final resting place of Eddie Koiki Mabo he was a giant of your island and of your people."
The planned referendum to recognise Indigenous Australians in the constitution was a theme of the visit.
"What I am on about, what I think our country needs to be on about, is Indigenous recognition. That was the great silence in our constitution that was the serious admission."
The Torres Strait was the buffer between Australia and Papua New Guinea during World War 2 and the centre of much military activity.
Indigenous soldiers were never properly recognised.
The Prime Minister and Local MP Liberal Warren Entsh held an award ceremony for surviving members of Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion.
"We've had a moving commemorative service and I want to thank Warren Entsch the local member for the work he's done to ensure that Australians are aware of the impact the war had on the Torres Strait."
It was a welcome tour of the region but there were no new program announcements.
Labor's spokesman on Indigenous Affairs, Shayne Neumann, pointed out the Government has been cutting funding to Aboriginal organisations while in office.
Meanwhile Treasurer Joe Hockey suggested he 'd take tax cuts to the next election saying that too many Australians are being pushed into the top tax rate of 47 cents in the dollar.
"We have to look at the entire taxation system. We have recieved over 850 submissions to our taxation discussion papers. We are working with the states on the details of a potential package that involves reform at both a federal and state level so that we can have a tax system ready for the 21st century."
There is no detail about what any tax cut would be nor how it would be paid for.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten is cynical about it.
"I don't think anyone, I don't, believe Joe Hockey any more. When Joe Hockey talks about a tax cut you have to start putting your hand over your wallet."
At the National Reform Summit business and unions pledged to work together on reform of taxes, employment policies and superannuation.
This is a long term project.
The Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens said workplace laws should be examined.
"There is no avoiding it, the need to have the right labour-market arrangements. The question is how to have suitable rules which do deliver basic fairness but have a minimal adverse effect on enterprise, employment and the scope for free agents to come together in ways that mutually suit them and grow the economy."
This week's Newspoll published political survey was the 29th consecutive Newspoll study that showed the Opposition in front on the two-party referred vote, with Labor on 54% compared to the coalition on 46% of the vote.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten has been promoting Labor's policies as he travels around the country.
"I don't think Australians need an opinion poll to tell them this is one of the most incompetent Governments in the history of federation."
In Cairns the Opposition leader visited the city's Technical And Further Education college and promoted Labor's policies on training.
"It is a great facility and what we are seeing is the health workforce of the future receiving high quality training which clearly the students are throwing themselves into with great professionalism and commitment. Now more than ever Australia and Cairns need to focus on the jobs of the future. We need to make sure that people are getting the training they need to have the skills to get the jobs for the future and nothing is more important than health."
He continued that in schools in Brisbane:
"It is really important that we put science and technology at the centre of what we do along with the staples that students already learn and are important. Labor is the only political party offering to training our students for the jobs of the future."
Next week Justice Dyson Heydon will deliver his decision on whether or not he'll stand down from the building Royal Commission.
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