PM moves to ease tensions with SA

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has moved to ease growing tensions between the federal and South Australian governments.

After several ugly spats between senior ministers from both governments this week, Mr Abbott offered some healing words on Thursday before a likely meeting with Premier Jay Weatherill.

"I'm not here to pick a fight, I'm here to make a difference," Mr Abbott told reporters.

The PM said he was keen to "get cracking" on the major project in Adelaide to complete the city's north-south road corridor.

Funding for the corridor and other infrastructure projects has been the source of tension between SA and the commonwealth in recent days with state Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis among those angry at what he said was a lack of extra funding in last week's federal budget.

Federal ministers hit back blaming a lack of planning by the state government for no extra funding in the budget, with Education Minister Christopher Pyne describing Mr Koutsantonis and Premier Weatherill as acting like a "political bikie gang".

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey also weighed in, describing SA as the most difficult state government to deal with.

But Mr Abbott said he believed the commonwealth should try to have a constructive relationship with the South Australian government.

"I don't know who has said what to whom. I suspect there's probably been a bit of game playing on both sides," he said.

"I want to be as constructive as I can because it's in everyone's interest that South Australia goes forward."