Anna Bligh to work from Townsville for a week as part of listening offensive

The Queensland Premier yesterday announced the second tranche of her listening offensive would be to work for a week from the Government's ministerial office in Townsville.

Ms Bligh insisted the October trip to the tropical north would give her the opportunity to live like a local while remotely governing the state with the latest technology.

It comes after Ms Bligh announced Labor MPs would be sent out to gain work experience in low paid professions so they could learn how average people were affected by cost-of-living pressures.

The Premier has promised a new and improved listening effort following Monday's crucial Caucus meeting after Labor MPs warned the Government was growing increasingly out of touch with the people.

Ms Bligh told Parliament that she understood that north Queenslanders felt isolated despite her best efforts to visit the region.

"Putting down roots in the state's second capital for a week will give me an even greater opportunity to engage with people at every level," she said.

However, Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek said a sudden burst of listening would mean nothing without action.

"Queenslanders have seen straight through this listening offensive and they find it offensive," he said.

Meanwhile, Ms Bligh's office has insisted a Labor MP who appeared to contradict the Premier on the Government's plans for asset sales was taken out of context.

Keppel MP Paul Hoolihan, who voiced concern about the asset sale program before Monday's meeting, reportedly said some fine tuning of the program had been agreed upon.

He also reportedly indicated that MPs had withheld their attack at the meeting to ensure Labor federally was not destabilised by any problems within the Bligh Government.

However, the Queensland Premier announced following the meeting that there would be no changes to the $15 billion program.

Mr Hoolihan yesterday did not return calls.

A spokesman for Ms Bligh said the Government was not changing the privatisation plan and Mr Hoolihan was only referring to an offer by a consortium of miners to buy part of Queensland Rail that was being considered.

However, Mr Langbroek said some Labor MPs had "split personalities and opposed asset sales on a local level but did nothing when they got to Brisbane".