Job reductions in the public sector will threaten thousands of jobs in the private sector, according to the Queensland Opposition.

Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk told Parliament Premier Campbell Newman’s “slash and burn” approach to government was “not only costing thousands of government jobs but also threatening thousands of jobs in the private sector”.

Mr Newman said he was a bit a loss to understand what the Opposition were actually on about.

Mrs Palaszczuk referred the Premier to an ASX statement from infrastructure firm Seymour Whyte saying “the recent change of government in Queensland has created uncertainty” about future projects, while a $70 million project had been deferred because of fiscal tightening.

Mr Newman said the Opposition only wanted to make “silly political points”.

“We are actually reconsidering some of the poor and reckless capital expenditure projects that they entered into,” he said.