PM Turnbull accused of playing politics during South Australia's blackout emergency

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was accused of playing politics on Wednesday during an emergency which resulted in widespread blackouts in South Australia last week.

South Australia's Premier Jay Weatherill said the prime minister used the emergency, which plunged 90 percent of the state, including its capital city Adelaide, into darkness for almost 24 hours, as a chance to "lecture South Australians about the dangers of renewable energy" instead of offering his support in a time of need.

"The remarks were also made at a time when government officials, emergency services workers, support agencies were working to help people protect life and limb and property, and to support people that had suffered," Weatherill told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

"We also saw (South Australia's Opposition Leader) Steven Marshall suggest that renewable energy was at the heart of the system."

Weatherill said there was no clear link between the widespread blackouts and renewable energies, and a report by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) confirmed the extreme weather event would have posed a risk to the electrical infrastructure regardless of whether or not renewable energy is involved.

Weatherill added the report confirmed early advice given to him that the power outage was caused by the freak weather event and was "not a renewable energy event." Endit