Torres Strait Islanders have told Anthony Albanese the Indigenous voice should be based on the three-decade-old model used in the region and urged him to do more to address climate change.
The prime minister wrapped up a two-day visit to the region, meeting with Torres Strait Islander women leaders on Ngurupai (Horn Island) on Friday.
Torres Strait Regional Authority chair Napau Pedro Stephen, who was involved in meetings during the visit, said leaders had shared their aspirations for climate change resilience and economic and job opportunities.
But Mr Stephen said it had also been proposed to Mr Albanese that the voice mechanism be based on the authority's structure.
"The Torres Strait embarked on a journey 85 years ago when local governance formed through the First Island Councillors Conference on Masig on August 23, 1937," he told AAP.
"The TSRA has been a mechanism for local leadership and self-determination since 1994.
"We put forward TSRA as a model that has been supporting greater autonomy for Torres Strait Islanders for nearly three decades."
He said he was looking forward to "carrying the voices of island communities from the Torres Strait to Canberra".
The authority board comprises 20 leaders elected every four years, representing all Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal communities in the Torres Strait, Bamaga and Seisia communities.
Mr Albanese heard from traditional owners, elders, young people, community organisations, business owners, artists, women in leadership, the TSRA board and representatives from all levels of government.
"We do need to close the gap in education, in health, in life expectancy, in housing," Mr Albanese said.
"But the way to do that is to make sure that firstly you give people that sense of ownership, that you consult them, it's good manners to do so.
"But also recognising First Nations people in our constitution, which is after all our national birth certificate, will be an important step forward for the entire nation."
Labor pledged at the election to put the Indigenous Voice to a referendum by the end of the term.
Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, who with Queensland senator Nita Green was also on the trip, said Torres Strait Islanders had "expressed to both the prime minister and myself the desire to be involved, the desire to be consulted".
Employment, housing and governance of the region were also raised, Ms Burney said.
She said it was important to understand Torres Strait Islanders held concerns specific to that region.
"It is very distinct, it's absolutely beautiful. They see themselves, as was described to us, as a minority within a minority ... Aboriginal people on the mainland (and) people in the Torres Strait."
The prime minister said he had received unanimous support in his meetings for the voice to parliament and constitutional recognition for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The draft question to be put to the Australian people is: "Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?"
A new provision in the constitution would have three sentences: "There shall be a body, to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice.
"The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to Parliament and the Executive government on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
"The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to the composition, functions, powers and procedures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice."
State and territory ministers have agreed to back the Labor government's work towards enshrining the voice.
A successful referendum needs an overall majority of votes as well as majorities in a majority of states.
There have been 44 proposals for constitutional change with only eight changes passing.
Australian Associated Press
