Pyne drowned out by rowdy truckers

Never usually short of something to say, Industry Minister Christopher Pyne has been drowned out at a press conference in Adelaide by dozens of noisy truck drivers.

Mr Pyne gathered the local media outside parliament on Wednesday morning for a press conference neatly timed to coincide with a rally by the Transport Workers Union.

The TWU is pushing for a new minimum wage for truck drivers, arguing it will save lives by easing pressure to work around the clock.

Perhaps aiming to get his message out first, Mr Pyne stepped up to argue the minimum rate would make small operators uncompetitive.

But he was soon drowned out by the small but noisy mob, which crowded the media chanting, "What do we want? Safe rates. When do we want it? Now."

Mr Pyne warned the union's behaviour was typical of the future under a government led by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

"It's a pity that the union is trying to shut down democratic discussions in Australia today," he said.

"If you have a different view to the Transport Workers Union or the CFMEU, you get shut down in this country. That is what Labor supports."

With a brief lull in the crowd's chants, Mr Pyne suggested he might have another go at fielding questions.

But their silence was short-lived, and it didn't take long for Mr Pyne to decide it was time to exit stage left.