The suspension of federal parliament as a mark of respect for Malcolm Fraser has upset one independent senator.
"I hope Bob Hawke doesn't die soon, otherwise we'll never get any work done," Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
Mr Fraser, Australia's 22nd prime minister, died on Friday aged 84.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott will lead the tributes to Mr Fraser before parliamentary business is suspended for the day.
Senator Leyonhjelm said he had no fond words to say about Mr Fraser, other than he defeated Gough Whitlam in 1975.
"My mum said if you can't say anything good about someone don't say anything at all. So I'll be totally silent today."
Liberal senator Chris Back said it was tragic that Mr Fraser and Mr Whitlam had died within five months of each other.
"They were both mountains of men," he said.
Independent senator Jacqui Lambie spoke at length with Mr Fraser in December about refugees before voting against a government bill for temporary protection visas and fast-track processing.
"To me, the amount of knowledge that he had, that will be greatly missed, especially when it comes to immigration," she said.
Liberal Zed Seselja said he hadn't always agreed with Mr Fraser, especially in his later years, but there was no taking away his significant contribution to Australia.
Asked how Mr Fraser would be remembered in the Liberal Party, the senator told reporters: "Obviously there will be mixed reviews. Because in his later years Malcolm took a very different view from the Liberal Party on many issues."
