Unwell Newman says the economy is sick Campbell Newman has a cold. But no matter, he is at work because the Queensland economy, we are told, is even sicker. Which is why the Premier, backed by his deputy Jeff Seeney, arrived at Parliament House on Monday bearing the sort of expressions doctors use to explain delicate surgeries to next of kin. Moments after facing journalists, the pair was due to front Liberal National Party MPs. There, they would try to sell the recommendations cabinet came to last week after an all-day meeting to mete out the government's response to the Peter Costello-led Commission of Audit. An executive summary of that report recommended asset sales and the outsourcing of government services as the best way of reversing the state's finances. But privatisation is one of the dirtiest words in Queensland politics, and as shown in the last election, the state's constituents have long memories and strong voting reflexes. Sales and outsourcing might be the preferred way of regaining a AAA credit rating according to the commissioners, but it can also be the fastest way of losing an electoral seat, particularly for MPs where the margin is already dicey. "I'm one of them," Mr Newman said. At the end of the day I am here to do the right thing and whether I am here or not in the future, it doesn't really concern me personally. What concerns me is that there is a LNP government that continues in the next term to implement important reforms. But to move forward with the recommendations, there needs to be a "strong, unified consensus" from the LNP, Mr Newman said. He is counting on those at the party room meeting to "thrash out" any issues, so a strong and unified government can move forward with selling the recommendations to a sceptical public. "Political parties are interesting things," Mr Newman said. All I can say today is the party room get to have a very comprehensive briefing on the significant financial difficulties that Anna Bligh and Labor left this state with. So there is a huge problem and the party room need to be brought up to speed with just how bad that is and we will be, of course, talking to Queenslanders from tomorrow onwards about how bad the situation is that we have been given. But we will be talking about how we can get through this and we will get through this. Moments after Mr Newman and Mr Seeney entered the parliamentary building, Treasurer Tim Nicholls and the audit head, Peter Costello, arrived. If Mr Newman and Mr Seeney shared an expression with the grimly determined, Mr Nicholls and Mr Costello resembled generals who knew it was time for the big red button to be pushed. "Well I have always said that we need to have a debate about it and we need to have that debate in light of what the recommendations are and the finances of the state," Mr Nicholls said. I've got a very real appreciation of what the Premier's concerns are. I share some of those concerns but we'll have that debate in the party room and make those decisions as we should. Mr Costello, at no risk of losing any political capital, used a stronger rhetoric. Queensland "has a problem" he said, and now was the time to solve that problem. There are no easy answers here. The money has gone out and the money has been spent and somebody has to clean up the mess," Mr Costello said. And the cleaning tools available to a government, in Mr Costello's opinion, are asset sales and outsourcing or "massive tax hikes or massive service cuts." Last Wednesday's 10-hour cabinet meeting ended with a "nice scotch," Mr Newman previously told reporters. Whatever the recommendations presented to the Parliament and public on Tuesday, the effect will be much more sobering.