Last month the Griffith politician found himself at the centre of a nation-wide media storm after he complained the Premier's constant jibes about his hair and suits unfairly "sexualised" him.

Tuesday's parliamentary session saw the long-time political foes at it again, but this time the Griffith man gave as good as he got.

The stoush kicked off when Mr Piccoli accused the Premier of allowing notorious backbencher Joe Tripodi to influence her political decisions.

Mrs Keneally told Parliament it was "time for the member for Murrumbidgee to toughen up and to understand what it is to exercise leadership, integrity and character".

"Under Labor Party rules I have the authority to appoint my cabinet, which is exactly what I did," she said.

Mrs Keneally then rubbed salt in the wound by reading aloud a radio transcript in which Mr Piccoli said he believed most women secretly harboured a passion for bald men.

Mr Piccoli told The Area News the premier's comments showed a lack of substance in the NSW government.

"She'll use any excuse to avoid answering my questions and that reflects poorly on her," Mr Piccoli said.

"I don't take it personally -I see it as a bit of a joke actually.

"But if that's the best she can come up with while NSW is in a crisis that's pretty worrying.

"If the same comments were made by a male premier to a female politician there'd be uproar."

Mrs Keneally has baited Mr Piccoli about his brown suits and lack of hair since he coined the term "rurosexual" -which refers to sensitive blokes from the bush -in 2003.

The Premier's office declined to comment when contacted by The Area News.