Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says the opposition is parroting One Nation lines on the funerals for asylum seekers killed in the Christmas Island boat tragedy.
The government paid for 22 family members to travel from Christmas Island to Sydney for the services of eight people killed when the asylum seeker vessel known as SIEV 221 broke apart off the island in December last year.
Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison questioned the cost of the exercise yesterday. He was backed by Abbott, but slammed by Shadow Finance Minister Joe Hockey.
Morrison apologised this morning, saying his comments were insensitive in their timing.
"There is a time and a place ... if you step over the mark I think you have got to say so, and I'm prepared to do so," he reportedly told 2GB radio.
"Timing in terms of comments is very important ... the timing of my comments was insensitive and inappropriate," Morrison said.
However he did not retract the sentiment behind the comments.
"I know probably more than anyone how strongly people feel about this issue, how angry they get about the costs that are involved.
"I share that anger and I want to see that changed but there is a time and a place."
"I have to show a little more compassion than I did yesterday, I am happy to admit that," Mr Morrison said.
Mr Swan told reporters in Brisbane he didn't know the cost of the funerals, but believed Mr Abbott had hit a new low in backing Morrison's original remarks.
"Stealing sound bites from One Nation is about as low as you can go, and that's where Tony Abbott has ended up," he said.
"I think this whole episode raises important questions about the leader of the opposition's judgment, or lack of it.
"It doesn't matter whether you're talking about economic policy or whether you're talking about social policy, the Liberal Party are internally divided, they're at each other's throats, you see it in the parliament all of the time and you see it in public now."
As many as 50 people died in December's Christmas Island boat disaster.
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