Labor MP Jason Clare quizzed about suggestions he’s become a sex symbol

Anthony Albanese’s understudy has given a surprising response to suggestions he has become a sex symbol on the campaign trail.

Labor frontbencher Jason Clare has responded to suggestions he has become a sex symbol during his time on the campaign trail.

Mr Clare, 50, who holds Paul Keating’s old Sydney seat of Blaxland, stepped into the spotlight last week as Anthony Albanese’s understudy when the Labor leader was isolating with Covid-19.

The NSW MP drew praise for his assured and easygoing nature in front of the media and his confident delivery of Labor’s election messaging.

Mr Albanese even admitted his charismatic right-hand man “is certainly better looking than I am”, as he laughed off suggestions Mr Clare should replace him as leader.

Labor’s Jason Clare has made a surprising admission about former caucus colleague Stephen Smith.

After being referred to last week as “Captain Handsome”, Mr Clare was asked on Monday if his wife Louise Tran realised “how lucky she is being married to a sex symbol”.

“She’s watching now. So I don’t really know how to answer this question,” Mr Clare told Today.

“Other than to say I think Karl (Stefanovic) asked me this question a long time ago.

“And the answer then is the answer now. She thinks that Stephen Smith, the former foreign affairs minister is a lot sexier than me.”

Labor campaign spokesman Jason Clare has responded to suggestions he has become something of a sex symbol. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

Labor’s officially launched its campaign on Sunday in Perth, where Mr Albanese promised to reduce the costs of medicines on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme and improve pay equity for women.

Labor also pledged a $392m shared equity housing scheme that would see the government essentially purchase 30 or 40 per cent of a property with the buyer, to help up to 10,000 households a year into home ownership.

Mr Clare on Monday flagged Labor would match the Coalition’s promise to make healthcare and medicines cheaper for older Australians by expanding the seniors’ concession card scheme.

Scott Morrison on Monday pledged $70m over four years to help 50,000 additional senior Australians save hundreds of dollars per year, as part of the Coalition’s strategy to woo older voters.

Asked if an Albanese government would back the Prime Minister’s commitment given the current cost-of-living crunch, Mr Clare said he thought it was a good idea.

“We will back it. People are sick of Labor and the Liberals just saying if one side comes up with an idea the other side will say no to it,” Mr Clare told Sunrise.

“If you’ve got a good idea, we will back it.”

Anthony Albanese unveiled Labor’s housing equity scheme at the weekend. Picture: AAP Image/Lukas Coch

Mr Clare went on the attack by claiming older Australians should be wary of voting for the Coalition.

“The point I’d make (is), they have a habit of offering things to pensioners in an election and if they win, they come after you,” he claimed.

“This is a party that over the course of this decade in power tried to lift the pension age to 70 years … Don’t just look at what they say on the eve of an election, look at their record over the last decade.”

The Coalition plans to increase the income test threshold for seniors’ concession cards – from $57,761 to around $90,000 and expand the couples’ threshold from $92,416 to $144,000.

The new thresholds would come into effect from July 1, marking the first major changes to the seniors‘ health card scheme in more than two decades.

Originally published as Labor MP Jason Clare quizzed about suggestions he’s become a sex symbol