The Shadow Housing Minister has spoken out about the importance of getting skin checks after he was treated for melanoma.

Soon after the federal election, Member for Blaxland Jason Clare noticed a mole on his leg seemed to have changed colour.

After seeing his dermatologist, the 47-year-old father discovered he had a malignant melanoma in his leg, which then required surgery to cut out.

This is what skin cancer looks like. Stitches are out. Getting ready to go back to Parliament. Please slip, slop, slap this summer and get a skin check pic.twitter.com/HoFv28nRH8

— Jason Clare MP (@JasonClareMP) October 13, 2019

He tells Ray Hadley the scariest moment in the whole saga was waiting for the dermatologist to return his phone call with the test results.

“They were the most terrifying three hours of my life.”

Mr Clare is now insisting everyone trust their gut and get regular skin checks.

“I just had a bad feeling, sort of a sixth sense that something was wrong there.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview