Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has criticised the Government's moves to make welfare quarantining measures comply with the Racial Discrimination Act.
Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has introduced legislation that will make income management compulsory for disadvantaged people.
If the law is passed, it will be trialled in the Northern Territory from July this year.
But Mr Abbott says the rollout will reduce the focus in Indigenous communities.
"I very much doubt that the Government has had any serious consultation with the women of Hermannsburg for instance, or the women of Yuendumu for instance, who have been so supportive of the intervention, particularly the welfare quarantining aspects," he said.
"Yes it's good that the Government is proposing a very limited form of automatic welfare quarantining throughout the Northern Territory, but in so doing it is significantly reducing the quantum of welfare quarantining that will be taking place in the 73 intervention communities."
