TONY EASTLEY: The Prime Minister says he wants to have gatherings like the 2020 Summit he held a year ago. The summit tossed up more than 900 suggestions and the Government has rakes over them and selected nine ideas.

The Prime Minister told a Community Cabinet meeting in Perth last night gatherings like the 2020 Summit allow Australia to assess its direction and provide long-term planning.

David Weber reports.

DAVID WEBER: The Prime Minister said he was using the Community Cabinet meeting in Perth to report back to the nation. The Government will establish an ABC TV channel for children, a roundtable to link businesses with schools, an Indigenous cultural learning centre and a vocational education broadband network.

Mr Rudd explained the concept behind 'golden gurus'.

KEVIN RUDD: We know that older Australians have a mountain of skills, goodwill and time to offer in their fields of expertise and experience. So it was suggested at the 2020 Summit that we create a program to enable mature Australians to mentor businesses and community organisations.

DAVID WEBER: There's to be a program to help workers and business leaders develop sustainability skills. Mr Rudd said $26-million had been allocated.

KEVIN RUDD: The skills for the carbon challenge program will speed up the response to climate change by investing in training, infrastructure and providing incentives for industry to take up green skills. Government cannot force people to make climate-friendly choices, just as it cannot force people to study or lead healthier lives but it can create the conditions under which people make smart decisions for themselves.

DAVID WEBER: The Prime Minister said if Labor was to be re-elected, he wanted to have another meeting of minds similar to the 2020 Summit.

KEVIN RUDD: Bring together again a group from across the nation, dealing with the critical challenge areas for the future, and reassess where we're going, put a decade-plus ahead of us, and work out what we can do together as a national community.

DAVID WEBER: A quick survey of some of those at last night's Community Cabinet revealed strong acceptance of the Government's response, but also some disappointment.

VOX POP 1: I just thought it was great that he was actually starting to respond to it. It's been a long time coming and I think some of the initiatives he announced were very good.

VOX POP 2: I support the bionic eye. I'm not so sure about the overseas projects; I know people overseas do need support but charity does begin at home.

VOX POP 3: Well, if you go on about the golden gurus, it's a dead-set isn't it. We have such a wealth of knowledge in our community that really should be imparted down to our younger sector of the community.

VOX POP 4: I wish that it had happened just a little bit earlier than this but it's great that they're actually taking some action on it. And I'm interested to see what they're going to do about the republic for Australia.

DAVID WEBER: They've decided not to move on the republic just yet. You're a bit disappointed with that?

VOX POP 4: I'm a bit disappointed with that. I'm very disappointed with that. I expected something a little bit more different, a little bit more positive. I would have hoped that things would be in place for a republic for Australia by 2020.

TONY EASTLEY: Some of those who were at last night's Community Cabinet meeting in Perth speaking there with our reporter David Weber.