Govt defends indigenous affairs agenda

The federal government has defended its approach to indigenous affairs after stinging criticism from a prominent Aboriginal leader.

Noel Pearson this week said indigenous affairs was in "deep crisis", citing the way funding was distributed, slow progress towards constitutional recognition and the high rate of Aboriginal imprisonment.

But Nigel Scullion, the federal minister in charge, told the ABC on Friday the government was taking a methodical approach to implementing its indigenous affairs agenda.