Bill Shorten says he's sorry to have missed the largest repatriation of dead Australian servicemen and their families from Singapore and Malaysia.
But he says he hadn't wanted to politicise the event with a "big political entourage".
Both Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mr Shorten were criticised for not suspending the election campaign on Thursday, especially as both leaders were in Sydney where a ceremony was being held at the RAAF base in Richmond.
Mr Shorten says his office was told the governor-general was officiating because the government was in caretaker mode until the July 2 election.
"Our people thought well that seemed a sensible and respectful thing to do, not to have a big political sort of entourage," he told reporters in Burnie, northern Tasmania, on Friday.
"I would like to have been there in hindsight and I'm certainly sorry that I missed that event."
Mr Shorten described the occasion as very important, even acknowledging the work of former prime minister Tony Abbott in making it happen.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull also said he would not politicise the issue.
"The decision was taken not to have the two contenders in the federal election present in order not to detract from the dignity and the quietude of that reunion of those families," he told reporters in Adelaide.
The government and the Australian people were represented by Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove, the highest office holder in the nation.
Sir Peter served in Vietnam, where he won a Military Cross.
"The governor-general would have served with some of those men whose remains were being repatriated," Mr Turnbull said.
"It was a solemn occasion and the occasion was dealt with, I believe, in a very respectful and honoured way."
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