Malcolm Turnbull sees himself as the prime minister for Indigenous affairs but won't yet commit to following his predecessor out to remote communities each year.
Mr Turnbull is promising to engage with as many Indigenous people as possible, after it was revealed he would retain former prime minister Tony Abbott's hand-picked Indigenous advisory council.
Council chair Warren Mundine will remain in that spot and has called on the prime minister to focus his attention on Indigenous communities in western Sydney.
Mr Turnbull has spoken with several indigenous leaders including Patrick Dodson, Noel Pearson and Mick Gooda since taking office after ousting Mr Abbott last Monday.
"I am a very open, consultative person and I have never tried to narrow the range of people I engage with," he told ABC radio on Wednesday.
As the prime minister for all Australians, Mr Turnbull said he also saw himself as the prime minister for Indigenous Australians.
He plans to speak with Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion about the best way to engage with Indigenous communities.
Mr Turnbull hasn't ruled out spending one week each year in a remote Indigenous community, as was pledged and twice completed by Mr Abbott.
"I'm very committed to the outcomes, it's just a question of how I can best achieve them," he said.
"It would be hard to match Tony's personal engagement that he's had with Indigenous communities."
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