"This would provide a credible link between communities and the advice given by a National Voice. This would also connect local knowledge to help improve national policy design and proposed laws,"the report states.

"The National Voice would not be able to veto laws made by the Parliament,or decisions made by the Australian government."

Australia would be divided into between 25 and 35 regions,each with its own Voice to give clear pathways for community members to contribute and give advice to all levels of government on the local community's"aspirations,priorities and challenges". However,they would not replace existing representative bodies or community groups.

Under this model,the participation of state,territory and local governments – not just the commonwealth – is crucial.

Indigenous Voice senior advisory group co-chairs Marcia Langton and Tom Calma point in the report's foreword to the new agreement on Closing the Gap developed in mid-2020 as an example of the kind of genuine partnership between governments and Indigenous peak organisations the Voices would seek to emulate and add to.

"What is clear is that the institutional landscape we are working within is diverse and complex. It is a mix of customary,traditional and contemporary,the remote and the urban – there is no one-size-fits-all answer,"they write.

The advisory group deliberately did not seek to be overly prescriptive about the full operational detail for the Indigenous Voice,noting it would continue to evolve over time,but said its proposals were practical.

"These proposals are not finished. Now it's time for everyone to consider them and provide comment so that we can put a well-consulted final proposal to government,"Professor Langton said.

The Voice proposals are now open for all Australians to comment on.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt is especially keen to hear from as many of the nation's 800,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as possible.

"The more people that provide their feedback,the greater chance we have to refine the best possible options and set up structures that enjoy long-term success,"he said.

"The government is particularly interested in ensuring that any Voice structure in its final form leads to a greater say for Indigenous Australians on matters that affect them and real changes on the ground."

The government has not yet formed a view on which option it prefers. The co-design groups are expected to put a final proposal to government in the middle of the year.