The federal parliamentarian has been accused of reading a magazine and laughing at inappropriate times during Mr Rudd's apology to the stolen generations in Parliament last Wednesday.

Knox Mayor Jim Penna called for Mr Pearce to step down as the member for Aston, while others requested the MP formally apologise to indigenous people.

Mr Pearce would not respond to calls for his resignation, instead saying: "That's an issue in the past and I'm focused on the future and representing the people of Aston the best way I can." He denied "laughing and joking" during the apology but admitted to reading "at times".

Mr Pearce stands by his previous comments to the Journal that the apology was "symbolic nonsense and a meaningless exercise".

However, he supported measures to help improve the lives of all Australians, particularly indigenous people.

"I believe the best way to help them is to provide practical programs and support that actually improve their lives."

Mr Pearce said the 'sorry' issue was one that invoked "emotions, strong passions from one extreme to the other and lots of places in between".

He said people had a right to express their own views in "whatever peaceful manner they see fit".

Mr Pearce said he supported the apology because it was necessary to start addressing major issues facing the indigenous community, such as health and education.

Before Mr Rudd's 'sorry' speech, Cr Penna publicly condemned Mr Pearce's previous comments to the Journal about the apology.

"In the context of a story on Yorta Yorta elder and Knox resident Henry Atkinson, these comments by the Federal Member for Aston must have been terribly offensive to Henry Atkinson and his family and indeed to all indigenous people in Knox and surrounding regions."

He called for Mr Pearce to resign as Aston MP after receiving accounts of his conduct in Parliament.

"I'm absolutely appalled and devastated by his actions on a day of huge importance," Cr Penna said.

He said Mr Pearce failed to act as a role model to schoolchildren and their teachers.

Cr Penna, who is a member of the Inter Council Aboriginal Consultative Committee, said the committee would write to Mr Pearce requesting he apologise in Parliament to indigenous people.

Editor of National Indigenous Times, Chris Graham, who witnessed the apology in Parliament, described Mr Pearce's actions as "disgusting".

"At the point where Kevin Rudd was talking about infant mortality, I saw Pearce joking to his colleague, who was looking embarrassed.

"At least [Liberal MP] Wilson Tuckey left the room [when the apology was being made]. This grub [Mr Pearce] didn't have the decency to do that," Mr Graham

Liberal La Trobe MP Jason Wood commended Mr Pearce for being in Parliament to support the motion.

He refuted allegations his colleague behaved inappropriately during the apology.

"There was definitely no people joking and laughing in there, you could hear a pin drop."