SCOTT BEVAN: The Queensland Government's under fire for new laws that will increase the coercive powers of the state's crime watch-dog.

The Government says the move is part of its crack-down on outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised crime. But critics say anyone can now be hauled into a secret hearing at the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC) and jailed if they refuse to answer questions.

Donna Field reports.

DONNA FIELD: In the wake of a very public bikie brawl on the Gold Coast, the Queensland Government has been on a mission: talking tough about bikie gangs and vowing to pull out all stops to rid the state of them.

The Government will introduce a raft of legislative measures to Parliament next week, including a move to beef up the powers of the Crime and Misconduct Commission's so-called 'Star Chamber'.

Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie says in the past a police referral was needed to haul someone into the secret chamber to answer questions.

JARROD BLEIJIE: The referrals take time, the referrals then have... are subject to limitations on the length of period one would serve in jail in terms of maximum sentence. So the incident at Broadbeach the other night wouldn't enable the CMC to drag those criminal motorcycle gang members into the coercive hearings. We're going to change all that.

DONNA FIELD: Anyone who refuses to answer the questions will face a mandatory jail term.

The Crime and Misconduct Commission didn't request the new power when the Government asked it what it needed to rid the state of outlaw motorcycle gangs and related crime.

Regardless, Jarrod Bleijie thinks it's warranted.

JARROD BLEIJIE: For years now I've raised the argument the priorities of the CMC were wrong; they should be very much centrally focused on organised crime in the state. We are going to make that happen with our restructure. We've got a willing government; we've got a willing Premier and Attorney-General who is on side in terms of the war on criminal motorcycle gangs.

DONNA FIELD: Terry O'Gorman from the Council for Civil Liberties says current laws are adequate and the new extreme powers will be abused.

TERRY O'GORMAN: Well in the words of the Queensland Attorney-General - and these are his words - these are 'extreme powers', and the problem is the Attorney-General says this with a self-satisfied grin on his face when he says it. These extreme powers are not justified.

DONNA FIELD: So what is your fear that could happen under this new legislation?

TERRY O'GORMAN: Well, the fear is that the balance between police powers and civil liberties is simply being lost. If you listen to the Attorney-General, Monday is going to be a big day because there are going to be a whole lot of extreme laws introduced.

And the problem with it is not only are they extreme laws, the Government has refused to release details; they have refused to consult with anyone other than the police and the Attorney-General's department. They have refused to allow these laws to be vetted by the relevant parliamentary committee which is one of the fundamental reforms that the Fitzgerald report 20 years ago introduced.

This is - and this is no hyperbole or exaggeration - this is a return to the Bjelke-Petersen days.

DONNA FIELD: Lawyer Bill Potts has acted for the Finks bikie gang. He says the community needs to realise that the powers will apply to everyone, not just gang members.

BILL POTTS: It can simply be any form of investigation so we now will have effectively a super-police force that will on its own volition be able to force Queenslanders who have done nothing into secret hearings and force them to answer questions.

Now the public might think that this is a good thing if it effectively reduces crime, but the reality is that the CMC has been doing this for many years, quite properly, with proper powers. My concern is that taking away the barrier that is of a proper referral from the police service; that what we're doing is opening a floodgate - and once opened, it will never be shut.

SCOTT BEVAN: Lawyer Bill Potts ending that report from Donna Field.