Indigenous leaders will tell a meeting of premiers and the prime minister serious action is needed on Aboriginal health and education 10 years on from the Stolen Generations apology.
Aboriginal leaders from across the country are in Canberra discussing a new approach to the Closing the Gap program, which was set up in 2008 to improve indigenous health and welfare outcomes.
Tasmanian indigenous leader Michael Mansell says he also expects the group to tell the Council of Australian Governments how disappointed they are with the response to the Uluru summit and constitutional recognition.
"Changing the date of Australia Day is an essential first step ... a new date is needed to avoid division," Mr Mansell told the National Indigenous Times.
The group will meet with state and territory leaders on Thursday before representatives address the full COAG meeting on Friday.
Victoria's Treaty Advancement Commissioner Jill Gallagher will attend the meeting as the state pushes for a treaty with indigenous Australians.
State premiers are also readying for a fight with Canberra over hospital funding after Fairfax Media published a leaked draft proposal outlining a post-2020, five-year plan to keep a lid on rising costs.
Canberra will continue to pay 45 per cent of the cost of hospital funding and keep growth in federal spending capped at 6.5 per cent per year.
"Our public hospitals, our emergency departments are absolutely stretched to the maximum," opposition health spokeswoman Catherine King told reporters on Wednesday.
"It's a deal the states should reject."
But Health Minister Greg Hunt said the proposal was a genuine and generous offer locking in funding until 2025.
WA Premier Mark McGowan says he will push Malcolm Turnbull on GST returns, after a new report suggested his state would see a funding drop.
"They continue to cut, cut, cut our state and don't care," Mr McGowan said on Wednesday.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said cyberbullying would be on the agenda for COAG as she seeks a national approach to dealing with it.
"I am fundamentally concerned about the emotional impact that this is having on our students and the tragic consequences," she said.
The premiers will have dinner at the Lodge on Thursday night before the formal meeting on Friday.
