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A row about overcrowding at Flinders Medical Centre's emergency department has widened to include planned bed closures.

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said he had nothing to do with funds being cut for a drug treatment program at Elizabeth Grove.

Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek has slammed a decision by British American Tobacco Australia (BATA) to start selling cut-price cigarettes.

The company says the burden of high excise is forcing it to market a cut-price product to compete with black market tobacco.

Ms Plibersek says she is most worried about the effects on young people and suspects the company's motives.

British American Tobacco is among a number of tobacco companies challenging the Government's plain packaging laws in the High Court.

The operator of Port Pirie's lead and zinc smelter in SA is to face tougher limits on emissions.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey has distanced the Coalition from the National Disability Insurance Scheme, saying he does not want to raise false hope about the future of the plan.

The Federal Government committed $1 billion for the initial rollout of the scheme which will start in July next year in up to four locations across the country.

But Mr Hockey told the National Press Club that he thought it was a cruel hoax for the Government to begin funding the scheme without knowing what the states will contribute.