UNPRECEDENTED powers for police to search and arrest anyone inside G20 Summit security zones are being considered by the State Government.

The Courier-Mail has been told police on terror alert also want to ban bicycles and items that could interfere with motorcades, such as large placards from protesters.

Special technology that allows officers to use mobile phones to collect fingerprints is another measure being considered by the Government ahead of next year's G20 Summit in Brisbane.

The request would mirror other laws for high-security world events and include zones around the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, venues and accommodation.

Sources said the proposal for extra power to search, exclude and arrest people who refuse to provide identification or explain their presence was needed to protect dignitaries including US President Barack Obama and had been given extra impetus by the Boston bombings.

The Government has declined to comment but police plan to beef up security to Olympic Games-like levels, with 5000 officers rostered every day, including specialist covert teams.

In relation to next year's event, a police statement said "impacts and security will be adequate and appropriate for the circumstances at the time" and any special legislative changes were about ensuring safety and security.

"I envisage that Queensland police will have the capacity to do fingerprinting, to be doing proper identification as well as a number of other checks in relation to mobile phones," Police Minister Jack Dempsey said.

"If we can get it before the G20 I'd be rapt."

At Perth's lower-key CHOGM conference in 2011, police were given:

• Power to search anything carried by a person in a restricted area, including emails and text messages on phone and laptops if it was deemed useful in helping police with a threat.

• Search powers on traffic routes to and from the conference and venues.

• An exclusion list of people not allowed near the conference.

The penalty for entering security and restricted areas illegally, disrupting events, failing to provide identification or giving false identification was a 12-month jail term.

But civil libertarians fear extra powers will be abused by police in Brisbane, citing issues with Canada's G20.

More than 1000 people were arrested (most without charge), police cars were burned and mass protests took place.

Officers had similar search and arrest powers during the event.

Commissioner Ian Stewart said police respected the right to peaceful protest but last month's Boston bombings were a reminder terrorism remained.

"There is the need for us to be mindful that we are a free society in this country and the ability to allow non-violent protest is one of the rights our citizens have," Mr Stewart said.

"We will work for any group that wants to apply for a permit and to be allowed to protest lawfully but in a non-violent way. I think the community of Queensland have an expectation that that can occur.

"(But) Boston caused us to take a collective gasp of breath. It is a salient reminder that we can never ever be complacent in terms of the safety of world leaders and the safety of our community."

Australian Council for Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman told The Courier-Mail two inquiries had found "wholesale abuse" of police powers in Canada.

He said it was problematic Queensland Police could demand a name and address of a person and the State Government had not consulted the public.

"An argument that placards above a certain size are going to be banned because they are going to interfere with a motorcade is to strike at the very heart of what the debate about police powers for G20 is all about," he said.

Mr O'Gorman said police would have spoken to previous G20 hosts to "pick up tricks" which may include the controversial containment tactic "kettling".

He said there was no charter of rights for people to protest in Queensland, meaning successful court action would be difficult.

"Protest groups are contained within a city block for hours on end and not allowed to move, not allowed to leave, people not allowed to come into the group," Mr O'Gorman said.

He said security zones would cover large areas of Southbank and include people's homes in high-rise accommodation.

"Residents within the exclusion zone should not have to for the period of the G20 leave, enter or be contained in their homes as if it is some sort of military curfew," Mr O'Gorman said.

"It is possible to provide maximum security without having a corresponding maximum deprivation of the ability of people to move around."

Originally published as Pushbikes, placards may face G20 axe