LNP leader Campbell Newman has suffered the first major setback of his state election campaign, with the party dumping its candidate for the Gold Coast seat of Broadwater.

The LNP has decided to disendorse solicitor Cameron Caldwell after receiving a complaint from a member of the public about a trip Mr Caldwell made to a swinger's club about three years ago.

The party's state director, Michael O'Dwyer, says Mr Caldwell has not met the high standards of behaviour expected of candidates.

But Mr Caldwell says he does not think his brief visit to the Burleigh Heads club warranted his resignation.

Mr Caldwell admits he attended the Utopia nightclub with his wife for "a social drink" but says at no stage was there any impropriety.

He says while the facts of the matter do not amount to much, the party "had reservations about the headline-grabbing distraction" the matter would cause.

Mr Caldwell is the second LNP casualty in the seat. Last month Richard Towson stood down after being charged with drink driving.

The party has endorsed Verity Barton as its new candidate.

Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke is yet to announce whether he will run as an independent in Broadwater.

The seat is held by Labor's Peta-Kaye Croft.

Earlier on Friday, Mr Newman's campaign was bolstered by the appearance of Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott on the campaign trail.

Mr Abbott joined Mr Newman in Brisbane for the first time since the official start of the Queensland election campaign.

Mr Newman has been on a three-day tour of regional Queensland but cut the trip short after Kevin Rudd's shock resignation as foreign minister.

Mr Newman is revising his campaign strategy in light of the Labor leadership showdown.

He says the situation in Canberra is making it difficult to get his message through to voters, but he is staying on message when it comes to attacking Labor.

"They're about themselves, we're about the public," he said.

"The LNP are the only political party in this campaign who are talking about the things that matter to Queenslanders."