Jacqui Felgate has taken police minister Anthony Carbines to task, labelling him a “smartarse”.

It comes after the 3AW Drive host played audio of an exchange between Carbines and Channel Seven reporter Paul Dowsley at a press conference today.

“I just thought you might find it interesting to take you behind the curtain of how inept and incompetent this government is,” Felgate said.

Press PLAY to hear the tense exchange (and Jacqui Felgate’s strong reaction)

“What a smartarse that bloke is,” Felgate said about Carbines.

“This government is so arrogant and incompetent, as to fail to answer a simple and basic question.”

Images: Supplied, Graham Denholm/Getty