Contrasting takes on Queensland economic report Proving that reports, like statistics, are all about how you read them, the Queensland government and opposition have come away with completely different interpretations of the same economist's report. The Deloitte Access Economics Business Outlook for December 2013 had mixed news for Queensland. The government focused on the positive - a predicted 3.6 per cent growth in the state's economy over the next two fiscal years. "That puts Queensland well ahead of the national economy, which Deloitte estimates will grow at around 2.5 per cent," Treasurer Tim Nicholls said in a statement. The report paints an optimistic picture for some of our key business sectors ... [it] forecasts Queensland will have the fastest growing retail turnover of all Australian states both this financial year and in 2014-15. It's also painting a bright future for the construction industry with strong growth predicted over the next four years. The opposition zeroed in on the negative - gas development, mostly LNG, as the main proponent of that growth. "This new Deloitte report is clear when it says that the Newman government's cuts, combined with cutbacks in the coal industry, were 'a major negative for the state's growth last financial year'," opposition treasurer Curtis Pitt said in his corresponding statement. According to Deloitte it was only substantial gas development, especially in LNG, that allowed for growth to continue accelerating last financial year. Gas profits are a touchy subject with the opposition - the Queensland gas industry was encouraged under the previous Labor governments, but it will begin paying dividends under the LNP administration. After 18 months of bad economic news, the government has been keen to promote a more positive message in recent months, with both the Treasurer and Premier painting 2014 as "Queensland's year." The opposition is just as keen to remind voters of "broken promises" and unemployment rates and "increased pressure on families." Premier Campbell Newman said time would prove his government made the right decisions. "Queensland is going to outperform the rest of Australia this year," he said. We'll have the strongest economic growth of any state. I think that, sparing a cyclone or two, Queensland is going to be in a much better position as we go through 2014. It is very exciting and very positive.