Sydney, Nov.26 : Australian Prime Minister-elect Kevin Rudd says his government will make a formal apology to indigenous Australians early in its first term.

"It will be early in the parliamentary term. We will frame it in a consultative fashion with communities and that may take some time," Rudd told reporters in Brisbane on Monday.

Rudd also said today he has received advice on when Australia could ratified the Kyoto protocol. He is to represent Australia at a UN climate change conference in Bali next week.

"We have just received that advice as I was driving out here and I'm yet to read it. I will be reading it this afternoon," theage.com.au quoted Rudd, as saying. (ANI)