Labor’s Jason Clare, Liberal James Paterson: Campaign attack dogs sharpen claws and lines in Federal election

Labor’s Jason Clare and Liberal James Paterson went head to head in their campaign spokesman roles on Sunday morning, taking to TV to debunk claims about their party’s policies, poke holes in the other side’s and serve as attack dogs for their leaders.

The pair are among the strongest performers out of their cabinet colleagues and you’re about to see a whole lot more of them.

Mr Clare, the affable education minister from western Sydney, was one of Labor’s official campaign spokespeople in 2022 as well.

He stepped into the spotlight when Anthony Albanese came down with COVID and was out of action for a week.

Mr Clare’s strong performance then prompted many commentators to wonder why he’d never been linked to leadership aspirations.

He explains policy in plain language and is quick with a zinger delivered with a smile that means you might not feel the burn until afterwards.

Take this from Sunday morning when asked how the Prime Minister could attack the Opposition over Medicare when it has matched almost all of Labor’s health policies.

“Tony Abbott said no cuts to health, no cuts to education. Next thing you know, it was like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, just cuts everywhere,” Mr Clare said.

“They’re following the same moves that Abbott, that Turnbull, that Morrison did here. I’m surprised that Dutton hasn’t tackled a kid or played the ukulele yet, but you can guarantee that if he wins the election, that they’ll cut Medicare.”

On the other side, Senator Paterson is widely regarded as one of the Coalition’s best performers from a frontbench not overflowing with talent, having honed his media skills while working for conservative think tank the Institute of Public Affairs before entering politics.

The baby-faced Victorian has been in the Senate since 2016 but only made the frontbench once the Coalition lost government.

Since this time last year, he’s been shadow cabinet secretary, putting him at the heart of the policy-making process, and he has proven ruthlessly effective in the Home Affairs portfolio.

Peter Dutton isn’t afraid of going on the attack personally against Mr Albanese – while complaining about Labor’s “sledgeathon” – but Senator Paterson provides ample back-up.

“(Mr Albanese’s) plan hasn’t survived three questions or three minutes. It fell apart because he couldn’t define price gouging,” he told ABC’s Insiders, diverting to supermarket policy when asked how the Liberal Party could still call itself the home of free markets and lower taxes.

He kept tight-lipped on policy details – admitting he hadn’t seen the actual modelling of Coalition plans for lower power prices – but continually promised to make himself available once more could be known.

“Long before the first Australian casts their vote, these policies will be out in the public domain for people to scrutinise,” he pledged.