Energy Minister Chris Bowen has copped a spray from Channel 7’s Liam Bartlett with the TV reporter shouting “you’re a hypocrite” and asking when he would resign.

The blow-up was broadcast live on TV, after the veteran reporter attended a Sydney press conference about the fuel shortage.

He promptly complained that Mr Bowen had rejected the Spotlight program’s request for an exclusive interview on renewable energy.

“What are you afraid of?” Bartlett asked.

Bartlett then attempted to interject multiple times, saying, “I’ve had to chase you down” and “you’re a hypocrite”, while listing how many emails he had sent.

“You’ve come to a press conference. Congratulations,” Mr Bowen told the reporter.

Liam Bartlett’s ding-dong on live TV

The clash, broadcast on Sky News and the ABC quickly descended into a war of words.

“If this war in Iran has shown us nothing else, hasn’t it proved once and for all, that your obsession with renewables will only lead us back to another energy crisis?” Bartlett said, in his opening gambit.

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Energy Minister Chris Bowen. Picture: NewsWire/Gaye Gerard
“That’s a pretty loaded question,” Mr Bowen replied.

“That’s a very loaded comment. What it shows is that we need to continue to work on energy security. I reject the premise of the question.”

Bartlett then fired back that it wasn’t a “trick question”.

Solar energy doesn’t have to travel the Straits of Hormuz

“Are you asking a question?” Mr Bowen said at one point, as he tried to answer it.

“Renewable energy is a secure form of energy,” he continued.

“The Australian sun cannot be interrupted by a war or anything else. Solar energy has to travel 150 million kilometres from the sun. It doesn’t have to travel the 150 kilometres of the Strait of Hormuz.”

Bartlett then interjected, “You’re playing catch up, you’re playing catch up!”

“At what point during this crisis do you put the flag up and say, ‘Listen, I will resign and hand over to someone who is more competent’,” the reporter said.

Channel 7 political correspondent Liam Bartlett. Picture: NewsWire/Gaye Gerard
“I’ve been trying to ask you questions since the 24th of January. Open and honest questions about your renewable obsessions.

“Now, why can’t you sit down and answer open, honest questions?”

Mr Bowen replied that he was holding a press conference every day.

“This is the first press conference you’ve asked me a question,” Mr Bowen said.

“I think you need to show a bit more respect your colleagues. This is a full room of journalists. Everyone gets one question.”

Liam Bartlett denies the exchange was fiery

Contacted by news.com.au, Bartlett said he didn’t think it was “that fiery”.

“He didn’t leave us any choice. He left us no choice. So, we’ve been in touch with his office since the 24th of January. So, I mean, what would you do?” he said.

“It’s just that he refuses, in a what could be a controlled atmosphere to take, you know, honest, open questions in a democratic way.”

Channel 7’s Liam Bartlett confronts influencer Sam Evans who wrapped up his questions at a press conference with the climate change and energy minister. Picture: Spotlight/Channel 7
Liam Bartlett’s EV ding-dong

The latest blow up follows a fiery exchange when an influencer interrupted his last one-on-one with Mr Bowen.

That time, Bartlett was filming with Mr Bowen at the Sydney International EV AutoShow in November for an expose on Chinese-backed Indonesian nickel mining for EV batteries.

YouTuber Sam Evans then stepped in prompting Mr Bowen to terminate the interview.

“Let’s go, go on, let’s go,” Mr Evans said.

“Get out of my face, pal,” Bartlett warned.

“You got in my face,” Mr Evans snapped back.

“You want to do it on camera? You really want to do this?” Bartlett said.

Spotlight showed Mr Evans eventually walking away from the confrontation.

In a statement at the time, Bartlett said: “I’m not surprised that this story has resonated so strongly with Australians.

“Our audience has a very good nose when it comes to sniffing out social injustice and hypocrisy.

“When you consider how this issue is also tied into environmental destruction and government inaction, it makes perfect sense that it strikes a chord with so many people.”