CAMPBELL Newman has scored an emphatic victory over Annastacia Palaszczuk at the People’s Forum, with the pair clashing repeatedly over political donations, health and the economy.

The Premier was frequently forced to fend off claims of cuts to services and high unemployment, while the Opposition Leader stumbled over health questions.

But it was political donations and accountability that added fire to an otherwise relatively restrained debate, which ended with 48 voters giving Mr Newman the nod, over Ms Palaszczuk’s 26. A further 26 left the forum “uncommitted”.

Scroll down to see how the night’s events played out in our LIVE BLOG and ROLLING COVERAGE

Mr Newman questioned whether Labor’s campaign was funded by “clean money”, raising concerns about whether CFMEU donations had been muddied by secret cash from bikie organisations.

But Ms Palaszczuk hit back, accusing Mr Newman of hiding $11 million in donations and watering down disclosure laws.

“We know criminal motorcycle gangs are backing you, how do you know they’ve made no donations to the CFMEU?” Mr Newman asked. “Have you got clean money?”

Ms Palaszczuk dismissed the suggestion as “ridiculous” and fired back at reforms to donation disclosure laws, which she said showed a lack of transparency.

Health also dominated the forum, with Ms Palaszczuk struggling to answer questions while also launching impassioned attacks over privatisation and jobs.

After raising the issue of the “waiting list for the waiting list”, Ms Palaszczuk failed to say how she would reduce it.

“We are going to have to make sure that doctors have the necessary resources,” Ms Palaszczuk said before refusing to guarantee she could reduce the outpatient appointment waiting list by the end of the next term.

Ms Palaszczuk also refused to match Mr Newman’s commitment to hire 1700 new nurses over three years.

She promised in the first week of the campaign to spend $110 million over four years on 400 extra nurses, while also pledging to mandate nurse-to-patient ratios.

Ms Palaszczuk continually returned to the issue of privatisation, promising Labor had learnt its lesson at the 2012 election.

She also repeatedly rammed home Labor’s jobs message, attacking Mr Newman over the jobless rate.

Ms Palaszczuk ended her address by warning voters that “time is ticking”, saying she wanted to reduce youth unemployment, grow the economy and keep assets “in public hands”.

“This is probably one of the most important state elections in a generation,” she said.

“You need to think back over the last three years.

“Do you still want to see the chaos and the dysfunction that you have seen over the last three years? I want a Queensland where we can work together as one.”

Mr Newman wrapped up by saying Labor had spent three years in Opposition without developing a clear plan for the state.

“You can in this time of uncertainty trust us to get on and deliver for this state,” he said.

“We hope you trust us for another three years because we are the best choice in this election.”

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8.12pm: Ms Palaszczuk closed by again arguing against asset sales while Mr Newman asked Queenslanders to “trust us with another three years because we are the best choice”.

8.09pm: Ms Palaszczuk said voters did not know who was donating to the LNP because they did not declare anything under $12,800.

On cash for access, Ms Palaszczuk said parties needed to raise money and there was nothing wrong if everything was open and accountable.

“You have raied $11 million in secret donations,” she said to Mr Newman.

But Mr Newman responded by asking whether she could promise no bikie donations had been funded to Labor through donations to the CFMEU.

“Everything over $1000 is declared, Premier,” she responded.

Pressing on the most fiery scene of the debate, Mr Newman said it was wellknown the CFMEU had strong links to bikies.

Ms Palaszczuk said it was a “ridiculous” proposition that bikies were funding the ALP.

8.03pm: Mr Newman has promised to sign up to Fitzgerald accountability principles following a pressing question from an audience member.

It followed continued prompting from Sky News MC David Speers to answer the question.

8pm: Both leaders have told the audience they hold accountability and integrity highly following a question on the subject.

media_camera The leaders’ responses to one of the hottest issues of the election.

7.59pm: Louisa asked for a one word answer to a simple but perennial question - will you bring daylight saving to Queensland?

Both leaders complied with a “no”.

“You know that’s difficult for us,” Mr Newman earlier complained about the directive.

7.57pm: Mr Newman said a “yawning gap” had opened up during the Global Financial crisis between revenue and spending, when Labor was in power.

He said the Government had got expenses under control and were “actually sound financial managers”.

7.55pm: An audience member has asked how Queensland would pay for services without selling assets.

Ms Palaszczuk said Labor would not sell assets but was making modest promises.

“Our plans are focused on jobs, they’re focused on frontline services,” she said.

“We need to make sure we have our essential services out there and it’s all done in a measured way.”

She said Queenslanders had said at the last election that they didn’t want their assets sold.

Mr Newman said he was not selling assets, but leasing them.

media_camera Premier Campbell Newman shakes hands with an undecided voter at the Sky News/The Courier-Mail People’s Forum. Picture: Peter Wallis

7.54pm: On a question on outpatient services, Mr Newman said the Government is making good inroads.

“We are really going at this hammer and tongs,” he said.

But Ms Palaszczuk said the reality was “there is a waiting list for the waiting list”.

“We’re going to have to make sure the doctors have the necessary resources,” she said, when pressed on her policy to address the problem.

Mr Newman suggested it wasn’t as easy as that, quipping: “Just add water and mix.”

7.49pm: Mr Newman said his vision for agriculture was to double food production in the state.

7.47pm: Ms Palaszczuk said she wanted to lead a “Government on consensus”.

“I don’t want to have this divide and conquer mentality that we’ve seen over the past three years,” she said.

7.46pm: Following a question on vegetation managment, Ms Palaszczuk said she wanted to work with farmers and property owners to work out “what’s in and what’s out”.

“I’m more than happy to sit down,” she said.

“Happy to sit down and make sure this is done by consensus.”

7.44pm: The first question relating to Abbott Government policy has been raised, with one woman asking about the plans to introduce a GP co-payment.

She said she was concerned it would flood hospital waiting rooms.

Mr Newman said he was also worried more would “rock up” to hospitals.

“We actually don’t like it and we’re against it,” he said.

“I’ve stood up for Queensland and been quite strident.”

media_camera Labor leader Annastacia Palaszczuk talks to undecided voters at the Sky News/The Courier-Mail People’s Forum. Picture: Peter Wallis

Ms Palaszczuk said people would not be able to afford to take their children to the doctor.

“This is not the kind of Queensland we want,” she said, while accusing Mr Newman of not standing up for Queenslanders strongly enough.

7.41pm: Mr Newman said his Government had addressed long waiting lists and there had been no cuts to health.

He said the budget was now $13.1 billion.

“We will increase staffing levels,” he said.

Asked whether Ms Palaszczuk would committ to 1700 more nurses over three years - as Mr Newman had promised - she said she would be making further policy announcements in due time.

7.37pm: Ms Palaszczuk said there was a problem with nurse staffing ratios.

“We will legislate those ratios because it is about quality of care,” she said.

“I know our nurses are stretched to the limit.

“They are skippping their meal breaks, they are working back-to-back shifts.”

She said you could not strip 1800 nurses out of the health system and not feel it.

7.34pm: A grandmother has detailed her family’s struggle with her grandaughter’s health battles and is worried the public hospital system is under staffed.

“I’m asking both leaders ... what they’re going to do about this,” she said.

media_camera Labor leader Annastacia Palaszczuk. Picture: Peter Wallis

7.32pm: Voter Christopher is digging down into local issues, asking a question on the Woodridge electorate and a local offramp.

He wants to know if an offramp will be built and how the parties would grow jobs in the area.

Mr Newman said he’s sorry but he doesn’t have detail on that project.

But Christopher pressed on, saying: “I want to know about the offramp.”

Mr Newman has promised to get back to him.

An independent body called “Building Queensland” would assess road projects under a Labor Government, Ms Palaszczuk said.

7.28pm: Mr Newman said he would reduce debt by $25 billion, saving millions in interest.

“No one’s ever said: ‘Cam, please don’t spend money on the library or road’,” he said.

“So that meant the Government had to spend on infrastructure, which is what asset sales allowed it to do.

7.24pm: Audience member Margaret has asked what the debt and interest repayments for the state are now and how will Ms Palaszczuk get the AAA credit rating back.

She said her plan was to pay down $12 billion of debt in 10 years.

The debt would be reduced by $82 million next year through merging the electricity industries and making savings there, Ms Palaszczuk said.

7.21pm: Mr Newman said he doubted the ACCC would approve merging electricity companies, as proposed by Labor.

He said research showed privatised companies actually performed better.

7.20pm: Mr Newman said Ms Palaszczuk had last year called merging energy companies “privatisation by stealth”.

The Opposition leader said that comment was driven by a fear the LNP Government would take that step only to then sell off the asset.

media_camera Opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk and Premier Campbell Newman with Sky host David Speers. Picture: Peter Wallis

7.19pm: A voter has asked how merging energy companies would be a good idea.

Ms Palaszczuk said she wanted to make the energy sector “work better for us” but would not sell off assets.

“Once Campbell Newman sells off our assets, they are gone forever,” she said.

“Let’s make them work better for us.”

7.17pm: Mr Newman said his Government was putting on more police, teachers and health workers.

“Why are these ads on TV telling us there’s been cuts?” he said.

He said it was “not true” there were fewer teachers, as some Labor election material claimed.

“I’ve done my very best,” he said.

7.15pm: Mr Newman said the 14,000 public service workers who had lost their jobs had been paid voluntary redudancies, apart from about 66 people.

He said he had been “up front about that”.

7.14pm: Ms Palaszczuk said Queenslanders could not believe Mr Newman, who had promised public sector workers had nothing to fear before the last election.

She said Labor would sell no public assets and still pay down the debt earlier than the LNP.

She said she had already apologised over the Bligh Government’s asset sales policies.

“I have learnt that lesson,” she said.

7.13pm: Campbell Newman has defended his approval of the controversial Acland Mine.

He said the project had been reduced in size and there was nothing untoward.

There were 1000 jobs at stake and adequate protections were in place.

He said it was “absolutely” not a broken promise

“We have protected the environment.”

media_camera Premier Campbell Newman. Picture: Peter Wallis

7.12pm: The second question is to Mr Newman about whether he has achieved his previous election promises.

He said his Government had achieved good growth and job creation each month and the recent drop to the unemployment rate was good news.

Mr Newman also pointed to a drop in crime rates and improvements to hospital waiting lists.

7.09pm: The first question is about the leaders’ positions on abortion and gay marriage.

Ms Palaszczuk said there would be no changes to abortion but she would bring back civil unions.

“Personally I don’t have a problem with gay marriage,” she said.

Mr Newman said gay marriage was a federal issue.

“I expressed a personal view about four years ago ... I did back gay marriage back in 2011 but that is not the platform of the LNP.”

Mr Newman said his Government would not change the abortion laws either.

media_camera Opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk and Premier Campbell Newman shake hands at the Sky News/The Courier-Mail People's Forum. Picture: Peter Wallis

7.05pm: Premier Newman said he would implement the Queensland plan if he were reelected.

He said Queensland needed a strong economy to create jobs.

“To have a strong economy you have to have a strong economic plan,” he said.

7pm: Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk has kicked off the leadership debate by talking about jobs.

Ms Palaszczuk said Premier Campbell Newman had promised an unemployment rate of four per cent but it was not above six.

She said the audience would hear a lot about “strong” from Mr Newman tonight.

“There is nothing strong about losing your job when you’re a midwife ... or nursing director ... or TAFE teacher,” she said

“These families are hurting.”

media_camera Campbell Newman's wife Lisa Newman greets Annastacia Palaszczuk at the People's Forum. Picture: Peter Wallis

After the forum: Mr Newman and Ms Palaszczuk will also debate each other at the traditional Queensland Parliament Media Gallery debate on January 30, the day before Queensland goes to the polls.