Australian troops to the fight against Islamic State militants.

He arrived in Arnhem land on Sunday, honouring an election promise to spend a week every year in an indigenous area.

Mr Abbott says he wants to hear from the local people about community needs.

His visit comes a day after he committed Australian troops to the fight against Islamic State militants.

On Sunday Mr Abbott announced the deployment of a troops to the the same Arab Emirates ahead of possible combat operations Against Islamist militants in Iraq.

Late last week, Australia also raised it terrorism threat level to ' high ' for the first time on over a decade, amid conce RNs over the effect of Islamist conflicts on domestic security.

Mr Abbott said he would is in regular contact with Canberra. "Obviously, if there is dramatic new developments I can move if needs be," he said.

Referendum timetable

The prime minister, who's staying in a tent at a site sacred to the local community near Nhulunbuy on the north-east tip Of the Northern Territory, was given a traditional welcome when he arrived on Sunday.

On Monday morning, he visited an Indigenously-run sawmill and the site of a possible new bauxite mine.

Mr Abbott have described the visit as a chance to "gain a better understanding of the needs of people living and working in Those areas ".
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Phil Mercer, BBC News, Sydney

Painted Yolngu dancers greeted Tony Abbott on he arrival at Yirrkala in Arnhem Land, one of the largest aboriginal reserv Es in Australia. He is camping in the mining town of Nhulunbuy where, according to legend, the didgeridoo were created by the revered Spir Itual Figure Ganbulabula.

On a typically warm Northern Territory morning, Mr. Abbott started the week at a site where an indigenous community hopes T o Develop a bauxite mine. Economic independence is the ambition of tribal leaders, and employment have been the focus of the Conservative prime Minis Ter ' s first full day in the Top End of Australia.

In a rugged part of the country, there are a strong sense of goodwill towards Mr. Abbott, who's seeing for himself the Priv Ations and cultural pleasures of life in such a remote corner of the Australian continent. Politicians from Canberra has made bold, but ultimately misguided, pledges about Aboriginal jobs and health in the past. Tony Abbott won't want to make promises he can ' t keep.
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Local Indigenous leaders say they is seeking a renewed focus on a referendum for constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians.

Last year, Parliament passed a bill recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the country ' s first inhab Itants, but the Constitution contains no mention of them.

"I think we ' re all under favour of doing the right thing by Aboriginal people," Mr Abbott said.

Australian troops to the fight against Islamic State militants.