Anthony Albanese has been forced to defend his decision not to attend this year's Garma Festival, despite previously promising he would attend the gathering every year he was Prime Minister.

Last week, the ABC reported the Prime Minister would not be attending Australia's largest Indigenous gathering, which takes place in north-east Arnhem Land and begins this year on July 31.

Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy and Foreign Minister Penny Wong will attend the four-day festival, as will Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Julian Leeser.

Having previously said he would attend the festival every year he was Prime Minister, Mr Albanese was asked on ABC Radio on Thursday if his decision constituted a broken promise.

"I haven't had a day off all year," Mr Albanese replied. "And this weekend — in a few days, I'll be in another remote part of the Northern Territory.

"Garma isn't the only festival that's taken place. I've been to Garma. It's a wonderful festival. I informed the people who operate Garma there, the wonderful people, the Gumatj people, some time ago that I wouldn't go because I will be on leave at that time.

"But I will be at another festival in the Northern Territory in coming days. And I've been to Gama every year that it's been held since I've been Labor Leader in 2019."

In 2022, Mr Albanese became the first Australian Prime Minister to attend the festival in five years and used his keynote address the following year to rally behind the ultimately unsuccessful Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.

In a statement, the Yothu Yindi Foundation told National Indigenous Times: "Mr Albanese is a good friend of the Festival, and has been to every Garma since 2019."

Hosted by the Yothu Yindi Foundation, Garma celebrates Yolŋu culture and traditions while bringing together clans and families from across Arnhem Land at Gulkula for one of Australia's largest community gatherings.

This year's theme for the 26th festival is 'Bukmak' (Everyone), "an expression of unity and a celebration of the diversity of modern Australia".