Newman not sure sales of assets wise

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman is not convinced that selling Queensland's electricity assets is a good idea, although he is yet to read the full Costello report on the state's finances.

The report recommends selling electricity and port assets to pay down debt.

Mr Newman says he has read the report's executive summary but is not yet sure that selling the poles and wires of Queensland's electricity network is a good idea.

"I'm going to have to be convinced. This is a natural monopoly," he said on Tuesday.

Mr Newman said he and Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney were yet to receive a copy of the final 1000-page audit report and that Treasurer Tim Nicholls was only 250 pages into it.

Mr Nicholls has promised not to sell assets without an election mandate. But he has warned that Queenslanders have a difficult choice to make: sell assets or face big tax and fee rises.

Mr Newman said his government had to deal with the state's debt or basic services would suffer.

"What this actually means is that in 10 or 20 years' time, we won't have a health system that delivers for you in the way you expect," he said.