Queensland Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk met with workers at the Teys meatworks on Tuesday.? First out of the gate was a question about the Shoalwater Bay defence land aquisition plan, from a man named Dominic, with greying hair, his RM Williams boots peeking out the bottom of of his dark blue jeans. "Every single person in Rocky, if this goes ahead, will be affected," Dominic said, raising his index finger as he spoke. "We rely on jobs in this economy, be it from beef, we lost 1000 jobs when we lost the railway in Rocky, right? "That will be the nail in the coffin to Rockhampton's beef capital and the meatworks.

"Times are very tough here in Rockhampton. "Regional Queensland is in dire straights. "The big problem from Bundaberg right through to Townsville and mainly Gladstone, Rocky and Mackay, is the empty houses. "Our economy cannot go forward until we clean up all the mess laying around." He asked for a $20,000 first home buyer's grant to be given for existing homes.

"This will give a young person a chance to step up and go on with their life," Dominic said. Ms Palaszczuk said she was standing up to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Shoalwater Bay and said the idea raised about the grant was "very interesting". "Treasurer, I think that's something that we should look at. I think you've made a very valid point there, I'm quite sure that we'll talk to you further about that," Ms Palaszczuk said. The second question was from Janice, who asked for a review of the justice system after she said she was assaulted in her home, decrying what she said was a lenient sentence for the offender.

"Justice for Janice and keep Australia safe," she said. A tricky question for the premier to deal with in a public forum, who promised to speak to her afterwards rather than discuss the details publicly, and kept her word, speaking to Janice after the event. Another curve ball was thrown by a nurse who asked from the back of the room about abortion, with Parliament due to debate two bills on the reforms in 2017. She claimed there was an increased risk of breast cancer, premature birth and psychological impacts, asking for education so women could make informed choices. (Cancer Council NSW has stated that research evidence does not suggest that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer in women.) Ms Palaszczuk's response was diplomatic.

"People have very strong views, one way or the other," she said. "I hope that the debate that we have in the Parliament is respectful. I really hope it is a respectful debate because people have a lot of different views. "We're going to debate that respectfully, we're going to listen to each other on what people have to say, I hope that everyone in that Parliament is allowed a conscience vote." But perhaps the hero of the night was a teenager named Jesse, who amid the sea of older people in the audience, stood up and asked for a pedestrian crossing for his school. "My school, North Rockhampton State High, has no crossings around it," he said.

"There's people who are as young as grade 7, who are crossing the road and there's no crossing - like nothing. "My principal is often getting complaints from the members of the public with students who are playing chicken with cars. "I would like to humbly ask that you make it mandatory for all schools to have crossings so children don't get hit, thank you." Jesse had a win, with the premier promising to visit his school tomorrow. She had initially promised to send member for Rockhampton Bill Byrne, but moments later, after conferring with member for Keppel Brittany Lauga on stage, she said she would go there herself after finding out there was time in Wednesday's schedule.

A taxi driver, named Lyle, was stone faced as he spoke passionately about the government's position on Uber. "Why, why would you bring a foreign company into Queensland, into the taxis, and put these people in financial, they're dropping like flies, we haven't got a chance of operating against Uber," Lyle said. "Why would you do that? Please answer me that." Ms Palaszczuk said it was a difficult decision for government, pointing out the assistance package for taxi licence holders, and said it was a changing world.

A man in the audience said quietly under his breath: "Tell us about it." Ms Palaszczuk said some people in rural communities may not have access to a taxi, but now could have a personalised service which anyone could offer. A man named Peter ambled slowly down the aisle towards Ms Palaszczuk while speaking, wearing a maroon T-shirt and black shorts, clutching the microphone to his chest while holding his pension card aloft. Peter wanted to know why he could not use his pension card to get discounts when travelling interstate. The premier said she would get more information and look into it: "It is a very important issue."

Larry demanded action on the Fitzroy River, worried about health as it was "smelly and grey" out west and said trees had died. "I went up there just before Christmas to take my dogs for a swim and that river stunk, there was grey water running down it," he said. "By the way, it took me two days to wash the smell off me dogs, that's how bad it was. "By the way, you may hear from UNESCO in Geneva because I've gone as far as UNESCO to report the matter." Ms Palaszczuk said the government took the environment and health of rivers seriously and if he had photos to show her, she invited him to show her afterwards.

"Afterwards you can tell me the exact location, I will organise immediately for someone to go out and test the areas you have raised with us this evening," she said. It was the first town hall meeting the Palaszczuk government has held while in government, after holding them in opposition. "I love them, I think it's a great opportunity for people to come along and have their say," Ms Palaszczuk said. Ms Palaszczuk said told the crowd it was a pleasure to be governing from central Queensland for the week. "The key to good government is listening and understanding the issues that people and families face on a daily basis," she said.

"And that's why we're not sitting down in Brisbane, we're getting out right across our great state. "I started the year in western Queensland, I've been up to Townsville." Loading Will it be enough to bolster Labor's bush cred and stave off One Nation in the regional seats at the next state election? Only time will tell. For independent news coverage, be sure to follow our Facebook feed.