Former Queensland premier Rob Borbidge labels stoush over Campbell Newman's interests 'counterproductive'

A FORMER Queensland premier claims the stoush over Campbell Newman's interests has the potential to turn voters off both major political parties.

A FORMER Queensland premier has labelled the stoush over Campbell Newman's interests "counterproductive" with the potential to turn voters off both major political parties.

As the fallout yesterday continued over the LNP leader's family finances, Rob Borbidge warned the ongoing argument was in no one's interests.

"I really think people just get turned off by this sort of petty personal politics," said Mr Borbidge, Premier from 1996-1998.

"It's just a reason why increasingly so many people that you'd like to see have a greater political involvement say 'well, quite frankly why should I put up with that'."

But Mr Borbidge, a former National-Liberal coalition leader, defended Mr Newman's extraordinary Wednesday tirade against Premier Anna Bligh as self-defence and a "perfectly understandable human reaction".

"It is entirely natural when you or your family are attacked at a personal level to defend yourself and your family vigorously," he said.

Mr Newman yesterday refused to apologise for the merciless attack in which he labelled the Premier a "sleaze bucket" and her team "drunks, punks and desperadoes".

His temper boiled over after The Courier-Mail revealed Mr Newman had not directly declared two luxury north Queensland units owned by a holding company in which he has a share.

It was the latest in a string of revelations about the private dealings of Mr Newman and his family, sparked by reports a company linked with his wife, Lisa Newman, touted for a $30 million emergency management contract from the State Government just days after the January flood.

The Bligh Government referred Mr Newman to the Crime and Misconduct Commission on Wednesday, alleging he breached councillor disclosure laws at least five times while he was Brisbane's lord mayor.

Questioned on his outburst, Mr Newman admitted he was frustrated by the ongoing interests furore but insisted it was orchestrated by Treasurer Andrew Fraser and his offsiders in an act of desperation amid poor Labor polling.

"I'm hoping that the Premier and her people can start to act like decent human beings and fight this campaign on matters of policy rather than personality," Mr Newman said.

He used a speech to property industry leaders in Brisbane yesterday to sledge Mr Fraser as the worst treasurer in Australia before suggesting Labor hacks from NSW had come north to help the Premier discredit his campaign for the top job.

Mr Newman went further in a press conference, saying: "We know the Labor Party have operatives out there who come to people every day of the week peddling some sleazy story."

Premier Anna Bligh yesterday told The Courier-Mail Mr Newman had come up with "wild conspiracy theories" in the face of legitimate questions.

She denied the ALP had a dedicated "dirt unit" charged with bringing Mr Newman and his family into disrepute.

"What Mr Newman calls dirt, I call accountability," she said.

But former opposition leader Mike Horan said voters were tired of picking personal faults in leaders.

"It doesn't do the profession of politics any good when it gets to the point where people are just trying to dig up dirt."