Bill Shorten insists giving Aboriginal people a voice to federal parliament won't result in people's backyards and clotheslines being subject to land rights claims.
The Labor leader is backing calls to give Indigenous people a voice to the federal parliament and rejected Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's characterisation that it would be a third legislative chamber.
"It's about making sure when we make policies for first Australians they are involved in the decisions that affect their lives," Mr Shorten told Sky News on Sunday.
"What are people really afraid of? Are we afraid somehow ... talking to Aboriginal people about matters that affect them will see your backyard and Hills Hoist the subject of a land rights claim. That's rubbish."
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He would like the advisory body to be elected, representative, regional and bottom up.
But the structure still had to be worked out.
He flagged a future Labor government would set up a truth telling commission.
Mr Shorten said all Australians should be aiming to pull themselves up by their boot straps.
"But if you don't own a pair of boots you can't pull yourself up by your boot straps."
The opposition leader has addressed the Barunga festival near Katherine in the Northern Territory this weekend.
Former prime minister Bob Hawke attended the event 30 years ago and promised a treaty 1990 but it was never achieved.
