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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Tony Abbott says flags will fly at half- mast for Nelson Mandela memorial | Tony Abbott says flags will fly at half- mast for Nelson Mandela memorial |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Australian flags will be flown at half-mast on the day of Nelson Mandela's official memorial, says Tony Abbott, who confirmed on Saturday he would travel to South Africa for the event. | Australian flags will be flown at half-mast on the day of Nelson Mandela's official memorial, says Tony Abbott, who confirmed on Saturday he would travel to South Africa for the event. |
| The office of the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said the Labor leader had accepted an invitation to accompany Abbott to South Africa. Both men will miss most of the final 2013 parliamentary sitting week. | |
| "There is a long bipartisan history of Australian support for South Africa and the campaign to abolish apartheid," the prime minister said. | "There is a long bipartisan history of Australian support for South Africa and the campaign to abolish apartheid," the prime minister said. |
| Abbott faced criticism for not lowering flags on news of the world leader's death. | Abbott faced criticism for not lowering flags on news of the world leader's death. |
| Flags remained atop poles at Canberra's Parliament House on Friday despite the news of the 95-year-old former South African president's death, in contrast to official moves in the UK and US. | Flags remained atop poles at Canberra's Parliament House on Friday despite the news of the 95-year-old former South African president's death, in contrast to official moves in the UK and US. |
| "I've instructed that flags be flown at half mast on the day of Nelson Mandela's official memorial as a mark of respect," the prime minister wrote on Twitter on Saturday. | "I've instructed that flags be flown at half mast on the day of Nelson Mandela's official memorial as a mark of respect," the prime minister wrote on Twitter on Saturday. |
| "We honour a truly great world leader, an extraordinary man." | "We honour a truly great world leader, an extraordinary man." |
| Federal Labor members questioned why flags had not been lowered on Friday. | Federal Labor members questioned why flags had not been lowered on Friday. |
| "A small but powerful gesture for one of the greatest men of our time. Let's #lowertheflag," deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek tweeted on Friday night. | "A small but powerful gesture for one of the greatest men of our time. Let's #lowertheflag," deputy Labor leader Tanya Plibersek tweeted on Friday night. |
| Party colleague Tony Burke chimed in: "it's sometimes the simplest gestures which can be the most powerful". | Party colleague Tony Burke chimed in: "it's sometimes the simplest gestures which can be the most powerful". |
| An official mourning ceremony will be held for Mandela on Tuesday in Soweto, followed by a burial in Mandela's Eastern Cape hometown of Qunu on 15 December. | An official mourning ceremony will be held for Mandela on Tuesday in Soweto, followed by a burial in Mandela's Eastern Cape hometown of Qunu on 15 December. |
| His body will lie in state in the capital Pretoria from Wednesday to Friday. | His body will lie in state in the capital Pretoria from Wednesday to Friday. |
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