There could be quota for indigenous candidates in the Labor Party if leadership contender Bill Shorten becomes opposition leader.
Mr Shorten believes the ALP should think "freely and openly" as it considers new ideas to revitalise the party after its federal election loss.
The ALP has a 40 per cent quota for female candidates but no such target for Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders.
Mr Shorten told a Per Capita forum in Melbourne on Wednesday they could consider quotas for sections of the community underrepresented in parliament.
"And I especially think here of Aboriginal people and Torres Strait islanders," he said.
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He was campaigning before Labor members who will chose between him and former deputy prime minister Anthony Albanese in a vote for the ALP's parliamentary leader.
The result will be known on October 13.
Mr Shorten said the party needed to boost its efforts to ensure women make up 40 per cent of all candidates, through the involvement of women on selection panels and better mentoring.
Mr Shorten wants to work more with small business and says it has legitimate concerns over red tape when it comes to tax laws and the implementation of GST.
Mr Albanese has also flagged the importance of engaging more with the sector.
"We have to reach out beyond our traditional base," Mr Albanese told ABC's 7.30 on Wednesday after Tasmania Labor MPs and senators threw their support behind his campaign for the leadership.
Mr Albanese acknowledged that the first opposition leader after an election loss traditionally has not gone on to lead their party into government.
"That's true historically, but I believe this is my time," Mr Albanese said.
Meanwhile, former Liberal MP for Parramatta Ross Cameron warned that Labor was stealing a march on the coalition with party reforms that involve rank-and-file members.
"If we want to be competitive, we have to be putting forward the cream of each generation as the candidates representing ordinary Australians through the Liberal Party," he said.
"The only way we will attract them to our cause is to broaden the franchise and give them a feeling they've got a real chance."
Former South Australian Liberal frontbencher Nick Minchin told 7.30 he wanted to see the average party member have more of a say in who was their local candidate, as there were a few winnable NSW seats in the last federal election that they failed to claim from Labor.
"This is the absolute opportune time to give every member of the party a say in the preselection of our candidates and minimise the potential for the manipulation of preselections that no doubt is there at the moment," he said.
