As attendees in the packed Brisbane Convention Centre tucked into their succulent meals, Queensland's leaders offered plenty to digest ahead of the October 26 poll.
The leaders dined out on Labor's "decade of decline" and the opposition's "foolanomics" as the barbs flew at the second election debate on Wednesday.
But abortion again loomed large, with the Liberal National Party's David Crisafulli staking his leadership on what has suddenly become a key election issue.
Mr Crisafulli and Premier Steven Miles sunk their teeth into the main election talking points at the debate - health, housing, youth crime and cost of living pressures.
But Mr Miles couldn't stomach the opposition leader's perceived reluctance to provide a straight answer on issues or detail for LNP's economic plan.
"You just heard a kind of slogan salad full of carefully rehearsed slogans that don't mean anything," the premier said.
"And then what I like to call foolanomics - you can somehow reduce debt, reduce revenue, and not have to cut.
"No, you'll have to cut, and that's what his costings will show."
However, Mr Crisafulli appeared to do his best to ditch his "small target" tag when asked for the 132nd time this campaign about his abortion stance.
Premier Steven Miles (left) pressed LNP Leader David Crisafulli who gave as good as he got. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)
He had repeatedly told media during his campaign that he would not change laws after a conservative crossbencher said he would introduce a private members bill to repeal abortion legislation if re-elected.
But he had been unable to explain how he would guarantee that, refusing to be drawn on whether or not he would deny LNP colleagues a conscience vote on any bill.
Abortion was decriminalised in Queensland in 2018.
"Are you pro-choice or not?," Mr Miles asked.
Mr Crisafulli bit back when asked by the media if he would stake his leadership on abortion laws remaining unchanged.
"If there were changes to that, I wouldn't be a very popular person amongst Queenslanders," he said.
"There won't be a change and I look forward, in four years time, if I'm given the privilege of running this state to remind Queenslanders of the smear that was run.
"It has been vitriolic, it has crossed a line, and I have ruled it out."
Mr Miles dismissed it as "weasel words" after Mr Crisafulli voted against the abortion bill six years ago.
The premier then honed in on Mr Crisafulli evading answers after a long winded response to whether he would commit to repealing laws that prevent property developers making political donations.
"I might help David with how to do a straight answer because I think what he just said, was yes," Mr Miles said.
Asked whether house prices were too high, Mr Crisafulli began to respond affirmatively but Mr Miles again asked for a yes or no answer.
Mr Crisafulli snapped back: "I do have the intellectual rigour to answer as well".
"If only," Mr Miles retorted.
The LNP are still tipped to end Labor's nine year reign, polling well in the lead-up to the election.
Mr Crisafulli was confident the LNP had provided a blueprint to help Queensland after a "decade of decline".
"That is the plan for the fresh start that this state so desperately needs," he said.
Nearly 10 per cent of Queensland voters have already cast their ballots over the first two days of pre-polling.
A News Corp exit poll across 10 electorates found the LNP's primary vote sits at 48.2 per cent compared to 30 per cent for Labor.
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