Respected former Liberal politician Bruce Baird is being farewelled at a service in Sydney today, following his sudden passing weeks prior.
Mr Baird died aged 84.
Mourners from all sides of the political spectrum are attending St Andrew's Cathedral in the CBD to pay their respects.
The Baird family, former prime minister John Howard, former attorneys-general Phillip Ruddock and George Brandis, former NSW premier Nick Greiner, opposition frontbencher Natalie Ward and former 2GB host Chris O'Keefe are in attendance.
The Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, Kanishka Raffel began the ceremony.
"There are people here from across the wide spectrum of Bruce's engagement and contribution," he said.
"He was esteemed and appreciated by the swimming community, by church friends, by humanitarian co-workers, by political colleagues on both sides of the aisle, by members of his electorate, friends, family."
The service is being led by senior minister Bruce Clarke, who says he swam with Baird at Manly most mornings for many years.
"He was a remarkable man, intelligent, hospitable, caring, a man of strong convictions, yet with a very warm and generous heart, who always extended his arm out to help others and to include them and to care for them," he said.
"He was quite remarkable in the way he would welcome people in, particularly refugees."
'Warm, genuine and loving'
Mr Baird died suddenly on October 2, leaving his family shocked, according to a social media post from his daughter, ABC broadcaster and author Julia Baird.
"It feels like an eclipse, when your father dies. Everything suddenly black, then sore eyes and the world cast in another kind of light," she wrote.
She described him as a fit, extroverted man who was full of life, who loved ocean swimming, had lots of friends and was "fond of a gossip and a yarn".
"He taught the three of his kids to be bold, to step with certainty and to dream big, 'You go for it', he'd say."
His three children, former NSW premier Mike Baird, Julia Baird, and son Steve Baird are expected to speak at the funeral service.
Former politician Julie Bishop began the first tribute by recounting their friendship, which she said started on the first day of parliament in 1998.
"It's said that in the world of politics there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies, just permanent interests," she said.
"Well, I consider my friendship with Bruce to be an exception to that rule and I treasured it."
Mr Baird was remembered as a "true parliamentarian" with a "wonderful heart" whose contributions to NSW and Australia were "extraordinary".
A well-respected figure of the NSW Liberals, Mr Baird moved into the federal seat of Cook in the Sutherland Shire in 1998 and remained until 2007.
In 2008 he was appointed as the chair of the Refugee Resettlement Advisory Council by the Rudd Labor government.
Mr Baird retired from politics before the 2007 election, and Scott Morrison went on to win the seat and later became prime minister.
In 2010 Mr Baird was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia.