Queensland to bring in anti-dredging Great Barrier Reef laws

Queensland's Labor government will introduce laws this week to protect the Great Barrier Reef and change the date of Labour Day.

The reef laws will ban capital dredging and try to ensure sustainable planning of port expansions along the coast.

Labor also wants to change the date of the Labour Day public holiday back to the first Monday in May.

The previous Liberal National Party (LNP) government changed the date of the holiday, known internationally as May Day, to the first Monday in October.

There will also be debate on bills on the payroll tax, industrial relations, exhibited animals and local government.

The opposition LNP and Katter's Australian Party had no plans to introduce new bills to parliament as of Monday afternoon.