‘Professional whinging’: Clare on PM’s house

Senior minister Jason Clare has dismissed claims that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s recent multimillion dollar home purchase has sparked discord within Labor ranks, accusing the Coalition of “professional whinging”.

At a time when housing affordability and cost-of-living are front of mind for many Australians, news of the $4.3m purchase has reportedly sparked mixed reactions among Labor MPs.

The Coalition has seized on the reported discontent, with Deputy Opposition Leader Sussan Ley pointing the finger at the Labor Party for making a big deal about the Prime Minister’s property move.

“I’m not commenting on him buying the house,” she told Seven’s Sunrise, where she appeared opposite Mr Clare.

“When you look at the response to that it’s coming from his colleagues. It’s not coming from us.

“Who is unhappy about this? Who is revealing their thoughts? Who is worried about it? Labor Party members.”

But Mr Clare denied there was any fire behind the reported smoke, and hit back that the Coalition needed to firm up its policies to make its case at next year’s federal election, rather than banking on Mr Albanese “to retire to get your go.”

“The time for professional whinging from (Opposition Leader) Peter Dutton and Sue’s suits is over,” the Education Minister said.

“We have an election in 12 months. It’s time they came up with a plan and stop the whinging.”

Mr Clare said the Opposition Leader was “crazy” if he thought politics was a game of “kanga cricket.”

“You can’t wait for someone to retire to get your go,” he said.

“He has to come up with policies. The only thing he has going is shutting down Woolworths and building nuclear reactors.

“That’s not what the Australian people want.”

Mr Albanese this week confirmed he and his fiancee were set to purchase a $4.3 million clifftop property in Copacabana, on the NSW Central Coast.

Located on a prime section of cliff, the grand four-bedroom, three-bathroom mansion offers unobstructed ocean views and a peek of the distant Sydney skyline.

Mr Albanese has brushed off suggestions the move was a sign he was planning to leave politics, but said he was ready to establish a new home ahead of his marriage to his “proud Coastie” fiancee Jodie Haydon.

Former prime minister Scott Morrison drew similar ire after he embarked on a family holiday to Hawaii during one of the worst bushfire seasons in Australia’s history.