Qld govt not too close to unions: Shorten

Queenslanders have no reason to fear the Palaszczuk government is too close to unions despite the return to pro-union policies in the state's public sector, federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says.

Mr Shorten said all workers had the right to choose whether they would join a union and the Queensland government's new policies made no difference.

"I believe people have the right to be in a union if they wish do so, unlike the (federal) government, which really dislikes unions," he told reporters in Brisbane.

Under the policies, new government employees will be given a union application form and information about their relevant union upon induction, and their details will also be handed to unions.

Union delegates will also be permitted to use state resources for union activities and paid education leave will be given to delegates who study industrial relations.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the policies, uploaded to a government website last week without notification, will make workplaces safer.

She said they are just a return to old policies that were in place for a decade before the LNP's 2012 election win.

But the LNP says the provisions show the Labor government is sneaky and increasingly beholden to unions.