The momentum for a referendum to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the constitution is slowing, the federal government's chief Indigenous advisor says.
Tony Abbott, who has declared himself the "prime minister for Indigenous affairs", has nominated May 27, 2017 as his preferred date for the long-awaited referendum.
The date marks the 50th anniversary of the celebrated 1967 referendum on indigenous rights.
A parliamentary committee report on the issue is due in the first quarter of next year.
Mr Abbott has previously said that if the referendum fails it will set back the cause of national reconciliation by years or perhaps decades.
Speaking on Wednesday, the government's chief Indigenous advisor, Warren Mundine, said the issue was "starting to lose focus".
"I think without having a question out there, without having the discussion about that question, I think the momentum is slowing," Mr Mundine told ABC television.
"I think people are starting to drop off in regard to this area."
He criticised a lack of government action on the area, and urged the prime minister and opposition leader to get the issue out in the public arena for debate.
"You can only go out into the community so often and shake the banjo and sing songs and say we want to change," Mr Mundine said.
"The leader of the opposition and the PM need to now formulate that question and get it out there for debate and then we can really drive it ahead.
"I have major concerns that we are losing steam here."
Mr Mundine's call came as Mr Abbott was delivering his second annual Closing the Gap address to parliament.
The report is expected to show little progress has been made to close to the gap on Indigenous disadvantage.
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