The Far North is shaping up as one of the key battlegrounds of the January 31 election, with at least three LNP-held seats tipped to fall to Labor.

So, in the wake of weekend polls that showed the LNP could be set for an electoral wipeout in the state's north, Mr Newman was in the tropics pledging to open the LNP coffers in the event of his government's re-election.

It was a flying visit to the Far North capital by the Premier and his entourage, the delegation leaving Brisbane early in the morning and returning early in the evening, with Mr Newman stopping to spruik his record of reviving the city's economic and tourism fortunes in the interim.

It was the Premier's first visit to Cairns since he called the snap election on January 6, excluding his attendance at the funerals of eight children allegedly stabbed to death in their Manoora home late last year.

In stark contrast to Mr Newman, Opposition Leader Annastacia Paluszczuk has been campaigning heavily in the region, visiting Cairns and surrounding areas three times since the beginning of the campaign.

While Mr Newman's attendance at the funerals was not in a campaign capacity, he cited it as proof he had indeed visited the tropics since the election was called, though became defensive when asked why it took until day 16 to make a policy announcement there.

Ms Palaszczuk also attended the funerals.

"I'm sorry, I have been here during the campaign, I've come here and made a very clear statement of my support to this community and I've been here many times over the last three years," he said.

"When I was Leader of the Opposition, the first regional city I came to was the city of Cairns and it is chalk and cheese about where Cairns was four years ago and where it is today.

"That's because of a strong team who are about the economy and jobs."

The seat of Cairns, held by the LNPs Gavin King with an 8.87 per cent margin and the seat of Cook, held by David Kempton at 3.43 per cent are both potential Labor victories.

Barron River, held by Michael Trout with a 9.48 per cent margin, is also in the balance.

Mr Newman's major announcement of the day was of a $400 million, seven-tower, commercial, retail and residential development in the heart of Cairns by Singaporean company Aspley, described as a "rejuvenating" project.

He said while the development was not incentivised by his government, a move to have the Singaporean airline Silk Air commence direct flights between Cairns and the South East Asian island nation was, and that sealed the deal.

The project is expected to generate 1000 construction jobs, Mr Newman said.

"This is a rejuvenating project for the downtown area, a great catalyst project that demonstrates people are prepared to invest in Queensland and the Far North," he said.

"Fly-in, fly-out protestors from Brisbane and interstate will not drown out that we have just created 1000 jobs in Cairns."

Also in Mr Newman's cache of announcements in Cairns was that the Far North city would join Ipswich as the second site of a police Rapid Action Police hub, in the event of an LNP re-election.

The hubs are aimed at curbing crime in known hotspots and have been implemented in the LNP's first term in Townsville and on the Gold Coast.

On Monday, he annouced Ipswich would be the first site of the expanded program, should he be re-elected.

Mr Newman also pledged $15 million for the establishment of a special school in Cairns, at a yet-to-be-determined location, and $1 million to Central Queensland University for the establishment of the region's first engineering courses.

As has become custom throughout the campaign, he insisted the Labor Party had no economic plan.

"We have the funding because we have carefully planned and sound financial management is the core of the way we do business," he said.

"That's how we can create jobs, like the one thousand jobs created today in Cairns.

"To create jobs you have to have a strong economy to have a strong economy, you have to have a strong economic plan."