Katrina Stokes: Jay Weatherill was the winner after gatecrashing Josh Frydenberg media conference on electricity
WATCH WHAT HAPPENED: Josh Frydenberg has been left looking weak by not responding to Jay Weatherill when he gatecrashed his press conference, says Katrina Stokes. Do you agree?
WHOA. So today, we watched Premier Jay Weatherill rip Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg a new one at a joint media conference announcing the launch of a new renewable energy project in Adelaide.
Usually, you would assume both sides of politics would come together for such an announcement — but Weatherill had other ideas. (The press conference announced the launch of an AGL virtual power plant which links homes and businesses to create shared battery storage.)
Instead, we witnessed a captivating speech by the Premier in what can only be described as Jay v Josh, with the score being Jay 1, Josh 0.
As a proud South Australian, my first thought was “Go Jay” for sticking up for the state after we’ve copped such a bashing over our power woes in recent months.
But then my overarching reaction was WTF Frydenberg?!
He actually allowed Weatherill to go on and on … for a few minutes, with Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis nodding enthusiastically in the background.
It was a great look for SA but Frydenberg came off looking weak in a subject he is very well versed in.
“It is a disgrace the way in which your Government has treated our state,” Weatherill said, as Frydenberg just happily took his spray.
“I have to say it is a little galling to be standing here next to a man (Mr Frydenberg) who has been standing up with his Prime Minister bagging SA at every step of the way over the last six months.
“It is the most anti-SA Government we have seen from a Commonwealth Government in living memory.
“For you (Mr Frydenberg) to be standing here, sitting next to us trying to take credit for some small scheme which goes nowhere near fixing the size and the extent of the problems that have been created in this State, it is an outrage.”
Throughout those minutes, there were no vigorous head shakes, or outrage or “wait a minute Jay” from Frydenberg — nothing. Zip.
Surely it’s debating/public speaking/politics 101 to fight back against the opposition when they are absolutely slamming you in front of a hungry pack of journalists?!
At a time when the Federal Government — and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull — is copping it, I would have expected to see a little more gumption from someone who is heading the hottest portfolio of the minute.
After Weatherill finally stopped speaking, Frydenberg accused the Premier of gatecrashing the event and described Mr Weatherill’s actions as “unbecoming, childish and unacceptable”.
“I feel that the Premier is trying to come into this to crash tackle us at this announcement where he hasn’t put any money into this important initiative, which the Commonwealth and AGL have, just shows you, unfortunately, how desperate he is,” he said.
Some may say Frydenberg came off looking like the bigger, more polite person, as he went on: “My comments to the SA Government — and by the way they didn’t give the Commonwealth any heads up over their announcement — so you would have thought if the SA Government was intent on producing the best outcomes for their constituents, they would work with the Federal Government but there was no pre-warning of those particular announcements”.
After the press conference, Frydenberg took to Twitter to vent about the Premier.
“Poor form @jayweatherill to gatecrash announcement where the Cth not the State Gov has invested in a $20m battery storage project in SA,” he tweeted.
And yes, the Premier clearly used the opportunity to his advantage. But, I guess you gotta do that in politics. It’s dog eat dog out there.
Unfortunately though, that tweet means nothing much because tonight — and today — when no doubt the video clip is played hundreds of times over, Frydenberg comes out as the loser in this round.
Weatherill 1. Frydenberg 0.
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