He is against both, but had nothing to say when asked about penalty rates on Saturday, despite previously having urged the federal government to review the system.

Speaking in north Queensland in February last year, Mr Newman said he had received complaints about penalty rates from business owners, particularly those in the hospitality industry, and believed the federal government "need to have a look at it".

But speaking in Toowoomba on the election campaign, Mr Newman said his responsibility was to "create jobs" and "industrial relations, as we all know, for the private sector, is a federal responsibility".

"I'm here to talk about how I will create jobs under my area of responsibility and I can do that and I will do that. Because I can tell you where the jobs are being created," he said.

But he was happy to advise federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who has played a key role in Labor's Queensland election campaign on what he should be doing.