The first priority for the government will be a referendum for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, the new assistant minister for the republic says.

If successful, the natural step following Indigenous recognition would be for the nation to vote on having an Australian head of state to replace the Queen, Matt Thistlethwaite said.

“It won’t be something we’ll do within the first term,” he told Sky News.

“Hopefully, if we’re re-elected, it can be something that we can begin to look at in a second term of an Albanese Labor government.

“It’s an appropriate time for us to begin this discussion once again.

“(To) start to look to our future and recognise our unique identity and culture, our independence as a nation, our maturity and finally have one of our own as head of state.”

During Labor’s first term, educating Australians on the constitution and alternative republican models will be the assistant minister’s focus.

Thistlethwaite intends to involve monarchists in any republic discussions to ensure Australians are united on the move.

Using the example of Barbados – which became a republic in November 2021 in co-operation with the British royal family – he said the republican movement does not need to be a contentious issue.

“Members of the royal family actually travelled to Barbados for the handing over ceremony,” he said.

“That’s a great demonstration … We can do this co-operatively as an issue that unites Australians rather than divides us.”

The Australian Republic Movement released its preferred model earlier this year, proposing a new head of state would be voted for following a “robust” nomination process.

Thistlethwaite was sworn in to his new role as assistant minister for the republic on Wednesday by Governor-General David Hurley, the Queen’s representative in Australia.