FEDERAL Education Minister Christopher Pyne got a little snippy on radio today during a discussion about submarines in SA. Then things got incredibly awkward.

It all started when a listener sent a text to ABC 891, accusing Mr Pyne of last November voting against submarines being built in Adelaide.

The Liberal MP angrily rebutted the accusation, saying he had actually voted against a censure motion by Labor in the Senate, over the then defence minister David Johnston.

“Your listener put to me that I voted against subs being built in Adelaide. That is a factual mistake,” Mr Pyne angrily told 891 breakfast hosts Matt Abraham and David Bevan.

Asked if he felt he was being picked on, he retorted: “I just think it’s remarkable that every Wednesday you manage to get a listener through who always manages to criticises me on your program. It’s remarkable that there’s never one who asks Mark Butler (Federal Labor MP) a question ... it must be just a coincidence.”

Things then went from bad to worse.

When asked if he wanted listeners’ negative text messages about him read on-air or not, he got cross with the hosts and eventually opted for a very long and uncomfortable silence.

Listen to the full interview above.

Mr Pyne has had an interesting history with the ABC.

Late last year, when his own party cut the broadcaster’s funding, Mr Pyne started an online petition to save ABC television production in Adelaide, leading to accusations of hypocrisy.