IT was billed as the great debate - the clash between Jim Turnour and Warren Entsch to set the scene for the final two weeks of the election campaign. Where you there? Who came out on top?

There were heckles, cheers, interjections and, at several points, orders from the moderator for the audience to
"shut up".

One woman was thrown out after refusing to stop yelling and sit down, despite the crowd’s chants to "let her speak".

And in the end, the debate was over which candidate had won.

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The battle scene started a few hours earlier, when Mr Entsch announced that, at last, his Liberal National Party had found $40 million to help fund his cultural and sporting precinct.

In front of about 460 people, Mr Entsch used the pledge to deflect his Labor opponent's claims he was offering little to the region while Townsville benefited from LNP investment promises.

Mr Turnour opened by listing his achievements in difficult economic times and his promises to diversify the economy to avoid such difficult times returning.

Mr Turnour listed the JCU dental school, improved cancer services, millions of dollars in tourism marketing funds and a $150 million pledge to upgrade the Bruce Highway.

"Everyone knows that the only construction happening in Cairns is the construction being funded by the Government. Let's not forget that Tony Abbott opposed the stimulus," Mr Turnour said.

Mr Entsch won loud cheers when he responded: "Mate, the building industry in Cairns is in dire straits - it's only the southern-based multinationals that are making a killing out of Government contracts in this area."

Mr Entsch opened by focusing on what he saw as Mr Turnour and Labor's failings locally, including the loss of the NQEA maritime building contract, the state of the Cairns Youth Mentoring Scheme and the treatment of cardiologist Roger Chatoor.

He attacked Mr Turnour over the Bruce Highway upgrade, both because it would "destroy" homes and businesses and because the promise was taking so long to deliver.

"He talks about his $150 million that was committed in 2007 - why the hell hasn-t it been spent in 2010? I would suspect if we continue down the track it'll be another election commitment in 2013."

Mr Turnour attacked Mr Entsch over what he said was his "modus operandi".

"He'll jump up and down, he'll complain, he’ll make an issue of it but he doesn't actually get much done," Mr Turnour said.

The pair also differed on questions about health, Reef protection and indigenous welfare, with Mr Entsch saying the loss of indigenous rights in Cape York was one of the factors motivating his return to politics.

Many of the loudest jeers were for Mr Turnour, with moderator Melanie Wicks eventually blackmailing the crowd: "Every 10 seconds you yell him down I’m going to give him an extra 30 seconds (speaking time), so I suggest you shut up," she said.

And some of the loudest applause came for an audience member who demanded Mr Entsch explain why he and his Government opposed the apology to the Stolen Generations.

Cairns Forum steering committee chair Bill Calderwood said the good turn-out represented a high level of interest in the election.

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