Three final public meetings will be held this week before comment closes on a proposal for a new elected indigenous representative body in the ACT.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander elected body would be expected to help develop government policy for Canberra's indigenous people.

The ACT government says it is committed to establishing the group, and the community consultation is simply helping it decide how it would operate.

“This... is an important step forward for the local indigenous community,” chief minister Jon Stanhope said.

“The community meetings to be held this week are a last opportunity for people to come and find out more about how the new Elected Body will work."

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elected Body Bill 2007 is expected to be introduced into the legislative assembly in March for debate in April.

The first of three public meetings will be held tonight at the Tuggeranong Community Centre on Cowlishaw Street in Tuggeranong.