Qld MP apologises for leaking report

A Queensland MP has apologised for leaking a secret document about proposed new environmental laws to the state's mining lobby.

Burnett MP Stephen Bennett, a member of parliament's agriculture and environment committee, says he was only told on Wednesday about his "supposed breaches" of parliament's rules.

"If my actions are in breach of standing orders, I acknowledge and unreservedly apologise to the House," he told parliament.

Committee chairman Glenn Butcher said the breach involved giving a draft report "or sections of it" about the government's proposed chain of responsibility laws to the Queensland Resources Council.

The report hadn't been made public, meaning Mr Bennett now faces a possible ethics committee investigation.

"At this morning's committee, we resolved to refer to the ethics committee the apparent breach of (of confidentiality rules by) ... the Member for Burnett," Mr Butcher said.

Speaker Peter Wellington will now consider whether the matter warrants referral.

The chain of responsibility laws, which could be debated this week, aim to stop taxpayers footing the bill if businesses close but leave environmental clean-up to the government.