Campbell Newman has thrown his weight behind Queensland Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls ahead of Saturday's poll, but says his former treasurer must work hard to distinguish himself from the previous conservative government.
Speaking from the Liberal National Party's campaign launch at Brisbane music venue The Triffid on Sunday, the controversial single term premier didn't hold back from dishing out some campaign advice.
"One of the things that Tim needs to do this campaign is differentiate himself from my government and that's fair and reasonable, he's his own man," Mr Newman told Sky News.
"He will, if he becomes the premier, have his own style of leadership, and everyone will respect that, but fundamentally Tim Nicholls has the goods.
"He was a very effective treasurer, he knows what the state needs."
The LNP claimed a spectacular victory at the 2012 vote, with Mr Nicholls holding the reins to the state's finances.
As treasurer, he slashed thousands of public sector jobs and proposed to sell off state assets, unpopular decisions that led to the party's equally dramatic dumping in 2015.
Mr Nicholls has sought to distance himself from his former portfolio in a bid to win support from voters sceptical of giving him a second chance, but has come under fire from Labor throughout the campaign, as the government consistently reminding Queenslanders he was once Mr Newman's right-hand man.
