Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan has curtly dismissed a suggestion that former prime minister Kevin Rudd is making too many media appearances.

To mark the fifth anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generation, Mr Rudd has called for a national summit on indigenous education.

He has also appeared on the Seven Network's Sunrise program to talk about drug taking in sport.

But Mr Swan was very brief when asked if he felt Mr Rudd was making too many media appearances for a backbench MP.

"No," the treasurer told reporters in Brisbane.

Asked if Mr Rudd's appearances were taking oxygen away from the government, Mr Swan said again, "No."

On Friday, Mr Rudd told the National Apology annual breakfast in Sydney that indigenous Australians had literacy and numeracy skills that were 30 per cent lower than non-indigenous students.

"I know the educators get together all the time but I am worried about this piece of the data," Mr Rudd said.

AAP saj/t