Prime Minister Tony Abbott has spoken to Opposition Leader Bill Shorten about a bipartisan push for the constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians.
A parliamentary committee, chaired by indigenous Liberal MP Ken Wyatt, has recommended a referendum on the issue be held before or during 2016.
But Mr Abbott is understood to prefer 2017, which would fall outside his government's first term.
The prime minister has discussed the issue with Mr Shorten in the past week, saying he wants a referendum to be as bipartisan as possible.
He will not confirm a vote would be held in 2017, but all but ruled out 2016 because it was an election year.
"An election is about the most partisan exercise you can imagine," Mr Abbott told reporters in Arnhem Land on Wednesday.
While he intended listening to Mr Wyatt's committee, that did not mean he had to agree with its recommendations.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said 2017 was the front runner for a referendum because public awareness at present was too low to ensure success.
Head of the prime minister's indigenous advisory council, Warren Mundine, told AAP it was important not to overreach and noted only about four out of every 10 Australians were aware of the issue.
Mr Abbott will meet the council on Wednesday night to discuss the referendum and the Forrest employment review.
He will interrupt his indigenous program on Thursday to fly out to farewell troops bound for Iraq.
Hours before landing in the northeast Arnhem Land of Nhulunbuy, Mr Abbott announced the deployment of 600 troops to help fight Islamic State.
He has continued to run his government from a temporary tent village in the Top End.
Mr Abbott will return to Arnhem Land on Friday to round out his stay.
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