Authorities in Queensland say reversing controversial industrial reforms will cost jobs.

The Queensland Government says it is undoing the changes brought in under former Premier Campbell Newman, in an effort to provide employment security for public servants, and protect them against outsourcing.

But the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ)  says the Palaszczuk Government is determined to reverse “sensible and fair industrial award modernisation” in local government, and it will cost at least 1500 council jobs.

LGAQ chief executive Greg Hallam said the changes, passed in State Parliament last week, make it more difficult for councils to manage their workforces.

He also says it will entrench the inherent unfairness of having council employees doing the same or similar work getting different pay and conditions.

“I am particularly disappointed that the passage of this legislation relied on the support of the Katter’s Australian Party MPs who did a deal with Labor and the unions, apparently in exchange for mandated ethanol in fuel,” he said.

“I cannot see how the KAP’s efforts would benefit anyone in the Mount Isa electorate.”

The state’s Opposition says the changes were for Labor to help its supporters in the union movement.

Industrial Relations Minister Curtis Pitt said it was about fairness for public servants.

“These laws were needed quickly because letting the LNP's laws to go unabated would cause damage to the IR system,” he said.

“We treated it as a matter of urgency to undo the damage these laws inflicted on working Queenslanders.”