LNP leader Campbell Newman pockets $12,000-a-month from the party

LNP Leader Campbell Newman has been forced to release his current personal interests, disclosing he pockets $12,000-a-month from the party.

CAMPBELL Newman has been forced to release an up-to-date version of his personal interests after days resisting demands by the Bligh Government.

The details released by the LNP leader show that he is pocketing $12,000 a month from the party for his campaigning outside of State Parliament.

The wage of effectively $144,000 a year is more than the base pay of a backbencher, despite Mr Newman's claims that he was getting less than his Ashgrove competitor, Labor's Kate Jones.

Earlier this week, LNP president Bruce McIver described the amount Mr Newman was being paid as a "small, modest fee", adding "well he's got to put food on his table, he's got a mortgage to pay I understand".

In a statement, LNP state director Michael O'Dwyer said the payments to Mr Newman began on July 1 and had been declared to Electoral Commission Queensland.

"This is paid by the LNP from its general activities and is not donor specific," he said.

Mr Newman's decision to release the details will be both an embarrassment and a relief for the LNP.

The former Brisbane lord mayor has complained that because he was only a candidate he was not legally bound to disclose anything. However, the Government has continued to demand the latest version of his interests be released, insisting his disclosures from council in April were out of date.

LNP MPs believe Mr Newman painted himself as secretive and created a much bigger issue of the interests imbroglio by refusing to release the details. Revelations Mr Newman failed to disclose on his own council interests register his wife's role in a development further damaged his credibility on the issue.

The latest version of Mr Newman and his wife's interests have been posted on his website at candoqld.com.au.

In a bid to shift the focus of the debate on to the Government, Mr Newman has written to Premier Anna Bligh demanding she also release her own spousal interests form and those of her ministers.

He also insisted Ms Bligh list any further disclosure steps she wanted him to take and sign a charter of election honesty so that Labor steered away from further "dirty smear campaigns".

"I think people can see today that I have met a higher standard than the law requires, but given the Premier has been trying to claim the moral high ground on this issue even when she doesn't disclose her spouse's income, it is only fair that she put up, or shut up," Mr Newman said.

Last night, Ms Bligh released her husband's register, which cannot be accessed by anyone but party leaders. She said she was happy to release the information but what had been released by Mr Newman had raised more questions.

"Last week Campbell Newman and the LNP repeatedly claimed he was being paid less than a backbencher. That's false," she said.

Mr Newman gave up $211,327 a year as lord mayor.

Opposition Leader Jeff Seeney, who effectively is minding the chair for Mr Newman should he be elected to Parliament, gets $195,588.