The NSW opposition has called on Premier Barry O'Farrell to apologise for likening a female politician to a whining puppy in question time today.

During a response to a question from Labor asking him to apologise for comments made by his Health Minister Jillian Skinner about businessman Roger Corbett last week, the Premier made a joke about the former deputy premier, Labor member for Marrickville, Carmel Tebbutt.

Dog day afternoon ... for Barry O'Farrell. Credit:Brendan Esposito

"What's the difference between the member for Marrickville and a three-week old puppy?" he said.

"At six weeks a puppy stops whining."