Peter Dutton's efficiency spokesperson hints at what she would cut

Senator Price named the Indigenous Affairs portfolio as one she would audit for potential cuts if the Coalition wins the election and identified areas of wasteful spending.

"We'll be utilising the resources that we have to understand what the spend has been so far, as we have been doing already," she told Sky on Thursday.

"Particularly in the Indigenous portfolio, we're going to hold an audit of the spend in that space. And you know, there'll be more to come after that ... It's about practical and commonsense ways forward, not just about slashing and burning."

Senator Price, appointed to the portfolio last month in a reshuffle of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's front bench, brushed aside suggestions her role in a Coalition government would be like that of billionaire Elon Musk in the United States.

"I don't think we have the same sort of structure here in Australia as the US has," she told Sky.

"We'll be taking a very clear sort of direction on this that is thoughtful and considered."

US President Donald Trump appointed Mr Musk to run his Department of Government Efficiency. The X and Tesla owner this week denied claims he was leading a "hostile takeover" of the US government.

Senator Price said the Coalition would outline its government efficiency plans before the election.

"We're framing policy at the moment, so voters will be able to know before the election arrives," she said.

Mr Dutton and his frontbench have repeatedly criticised government "wasting" Commonwealth funding on the Voice referendum in 2023, seizing on its failure to drive further attacks on Indigenous spending.

The Opposition Leader cited the $450 million cost of the referendum - based on an Australian Electoral Commission estimate - at a press conference in Alice Springs last month.

It is unclear if Senator Price's overhaul of Indigenous spending would leave the National Indigenous Australians Agencies (NIAA) intact.

The NIAA has an average staffing level of about 1400 people across Australia, with its head office in Woden.

One Nation has announced a policy for the agency to be abolished and for direct grant assistance to be given "to those who need it", which the minor party claims would save $12.5 billion a year.

Senator Price told ABC Radio on Wednesday that her audit of Indigenous spending would include a re-think of the co-design, self-determination model through which the federal government works on its Closing the Gap plan.

"There are so many different layers of bureaucracy," she said.

"To suggest that under the 80 different agencies, that there could be possibly hundreds under those feeding information back up, to suggest that that is feeding up grassroots information, whether that is in fact, doing that or not, is something we have to understand better."

By agencies, it's understood Senator Price was referring to the more than 80 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled organisations represented by the Coalition of Peaks.

These organisations represent about 800 smaller bodies across Australia in policy and program areas important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The model is designed to ensure Indigenous policy is designed in partnership with the people it affects.

Senator Price, who has previously said that Australia has too many smoking and welcome to country ceremonies, said the model "definitely needs to be looked at".

"I don't necessarily think that it is true to say that only Aboriginal organisations have the capacity to improve the lives of our marginalised," she told the ABC.

"I know in places like the Northern Territory, for example, that women's legal services play an integral part, particularly in the issue of within the DV space, and that they are often very underfunded because of the fact that they don't identify as an Indigenous-controlled organisation, but predominantly serve Indigenous women in places like Central Australia."

Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy said the Coalition "does not have a plan for Indigenous Australians beyond audits and cuts".

"The Opposition should be upfront with Indigenous Australians about what programs they would cut if elected," Senator McCarthy said.

"Our government is working in partnership with First Nations organisations, including the Coalition of Peaks, to deliver programs and policies that will improve outcomes for First Nations people."

A spokesperson for the Coalition of Peaks said the Closing the Gap Agreement "already undergoes scrutiny through two independent mechanisms", namely the Productivity Commission and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led review, both of which produce public reports.

"Community-controlled organisations are critical to the wellbeing and survival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," the spokesperson said.

"Our supports and services are designed and delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities - we know what is needed by our people to achieve better outcomes and the best way to deliver it."