9 Dec 2013 - 7:45 PM  UPDATED 9 Dec 2013 - 7:46 PM

Australia will be represented at the funeral by both the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, after Tony Abbott invited Bill Shorten to join him.

Mr Abbott says it's appropriate because both major parties campaigned to end apartheid in South Africa.

But as Parliament was left to the deputies, he demanded the Opposition deal with the carbon tax. Karen Middleton reports.