Family, friends and federal politicians from both major parties gathered at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Melbourne on Monday to farewell the Victorian Labor senator, who died suddenly last month of a suspected heart attack.

In the wake of her death, reports have emerged the senator was ostracised and bullied by members of Labor’s Senate leadership team.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Defence Minister Peter Dutton, Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, close friend and former Labor leader Bill Shorten and construction union boss John Setka were all seen arriving for the service.

Three Labor senators accused in the media of bullying the late senator – Kristina Keneally, Penny Wong and Katy Gallagher – are also in attendance.

Senator Kitching’s husband, Andrew Landeryou, remembered her as a kind, creative and courageous woman who was unafraid of “all foes”.

He said her friends and staff were “angry about how she was treated” by others within the Labor party.

“Kimberley’s political and moral judgement was vastly superior to the small number of those who opposed her internally,” he told mourners.

“Of course there’s a lot I could say about the unpleasantness of a cantankerous cabal… But I hope it’s sufficient to say she deserved so very much better.”

Mr Landeryou said he was angry that he did not persuade his wife to slow down in the lead up to her sudden death.

“I’m angry I wasn’t driving her on that busy day, because I often did,” he said.

“I’m angry I didn’t meddle enough in her health, I’m angry I failed and failed again to persuade her to slow down and angry I didn’t protect her from menace and fear.”

Close friend and former Labor leader Bill Shorten, Liberal senator Bridget McKenzie, Victorian Liberal MP Tim Smith, Labor MPs Anne Aly, Madeleine King and Tony Burke were all seen arriving at the cathedral.

Labor senator Don Farrell opened the service by reading out a tribute from Senate president Slade Brockman.

“Kimberley was an exemplar of a senator, using her role within the Senate and its committees in driving policy change,” he told those gathered.

“Kimberley brought to Australian politics a worldview that transcended narrow partisan boundaries.

“She had a clear moral compass, to which she always held true. She believed in and championed Australian democracy.”

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese remembered Senator Kitching as “formidable, passionate and courageous” in a tweet ahead of the funeral.

“Kimberley Kitching’s friends, family, and colleagues from across the parliament will gather to honour and celebrate her life,” he tweeted.

“She was the life of any room she walked into. She will be missed by those who knew her, and many more who didn’t.”

In the wake of her death, reports have emerged the senator was ostracised and bullied by members of Labor’s Senate leadership team.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his thoughts were with Senator Kitching’s family, but indicated Mr Albanese had questions to answers about her treatment in parliament.

“When (Anthony Albanese) has to deal with the same issues in his own house, well, he shuts up shop and gets into the basement,” he told Brisbane radio station 4BC.

However, Labor frontbencher Mark Butler said the funeral should be a day to celebrate her life, not to bring up divisive issues.

“Today of all days is not to go into a number of the claims being made and things being said over recent days,” he told ABC Radio.

“Today is a day for the people who knew Kimberley to get around each other, hug each other and celebrate an extraordinary life that was ended far too early.”