Taxpayers funded tens of thousands in legal bills for an aborted defamation defence of former Queensland premier Campbell Newman and his attorney-general, according to documents obtained under Right to Information.

Key points: The legal bill added up to more than $100,000

The legal bill added up to more than $100,000 Taxpayers footed the bill as Mr Newman and Mr Bleijie had legal indemnity

Taxpayers footed the bill as Mr Newman and Mr Bleijie had legal indemnity The pair were sued over comments made about solicitors Chris and Daniel Hannay

The $100,000 in legal bills does not include the reported $520,000 in damages paid by the state to Gold Coast solicitors Chris and Daniel Hannay in an out-of-court settlement in May.

The pair launched legal action after the then premier responded to a question at a media conference in February 2014.

Mr Newman was asked about reports that the Hannays had told their clients not to appear in court together over fears they could be arrested under the Government's tough anti-bikie laws.

Some of the Hannay's clients include members of outlaw motorcycle gangs.

In a statement of claim filed in court, the claimants pointed to a particular quote from Mr Newman as defaming them.

"These people are hired guns," Mr Newman said at the time.

"They are part of the machine, part of the criminal gang machine and they will see, say and do anything to defend their clients and try to get them off or indeed progress their sort of case, their dishonest case."

A day later, the then attorney-general Jarrod Bleijie defended Mr Newman, saying the premier had been responding specifically to a question about the Hannays.

The two lawyers then sued, stating that they were unsubstantiated and personal attacks on Mr Hannay's character.

The legal bill: $102,850

Documents obtained by the ABC under Right to Information show law firm Clayton Utz billed the Crown Solicitor $84,246 between July 2014 and March 2016.

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Bills totalling another $18,604 were submitted by Crown Law.

The office of Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath would not comment on the legal bills when contacted by the ABC.

The reported $520,000 payout and the $100,000 in legal defence fees will be borne by the taxpayer, as the former LNP state government granted Mr Newman and Mr Bleijie legal indemnity.

After news of the payout, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk ordered a review of the indemnity guidelines that protect politicians.

"I believe that if you are a Minister of the Crown, you need to take some responsibility for what you say in public," she said at the time.

Afterwards, the guidelines in the Ministerial Handbook were changed, with ministers warned "to exercise care when making statement about members of the public which could be seen as defamatory".

While ministers will still be able to seek a legal indemnity from the Attorney-General or the Premier, the state will not make a defamation pay out if a minister acts "maliciously or in disregard of the State's interest".

Taxpayers also footed the legal bill when former Labor Premier Anna Bligh and her treasurer Andrew Fraser were sued for defamation by businessman and former federal MP Clive Palmer.

In 2010, an out-of-court settlement was reached and Mr Palmer dropped the action.