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Watch the SA Premier shirtfront Frydenberg over energy policy

Thursday, 16 Mar 2017 08:20:35 | Jane Norman

SA Premier Jay Weatherill says "it's a disgrace" the way the Federal Government has treated SA. (News Video)

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg and South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill have clashed during a bizarre press conference that descended into a slanging match over energy policy.

The Federal Government has been relentlessly attacking South Australia's approach to energy and its over-reliance on renewable sources, since last year's state-wide black out.

Mr Weatherill this week announced a half-a-billion-dollar plan to shore up the state's fragile power supply, which was dismissed as a "$550 million admission of failure" by Mr Frydenberg, who accused the state of trying to "go it alone".

External Link: Tom Koutsantonis: "Our Premier @JayWeatherill will alway fight for us, defend us & always shows leadership. South Australians will not be pushed around."

In Adelaide to launch a federally funded "virtual power plant", Mr Frydenberg found himself seated awkwardly between Mr Weatherill and South Australia's Treasurer, Tim Koutsantonis, and then conducting a joint press conference with the Premier.

Mr Frydenberg laughed when asked if "it was all a bit awkward", but Mr Weatherill told reporters "it's about to be" before laying into the Federal Government.

The Premier said it was "galling" to be standing beside Mr Frydenberg after he and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had spent the past six months "bagging South Australia at every step of the way".

"It's a disgrace the way in which your Government has treated our state," he said.

"It is the most anti-South Australian Commonwealth government in living history."

External Link: Josh Frydenberg: "Poor form @jayweatherill to gatecrash announcement where the Cth not the State Gov has invested in a $20m battery storage project in SA"

Maintaining a straight face as Mr Weatherill unloaded, Mr Frydenberg accused a "desperate" Premier of "crash tackling" his announcement.

Mr Frydenberg later described Mr Weatherill's actions as "unbecoming, childish and unacceptable".

The 20-minute press conference, which was broadcast live on ABC TV, highlighted the fractious relationship between South Australia and the Commonwealth.

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