Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says 17-year-olds will be moved from adult prisons within a year.

A bill is being introduced next week to change the law allowing youths to be sentenced to terms in the adult prison system.

“You don't get many opportunities as Premier of this state to do something on such an important scale that for decades has been put in the too-hard basket by Governments of both political persuasions,” Palaszczuk said.

Queensland is the only state that allows children to be sentenced to adult prisons.

It is possible the change will require new youth justice facilities to be built.

“We do acknowledged there are some serious violent offenders that are 17-year-olds,” the Premier said.

“We may have to look at some separate facilities within the youth detention centre if that is needed, because fundamentally it is about the safety of all the children and the staff that work in the detention centre.”

The 48 17-year-olds in Queensland’s adult prisons will remain there while the legislation is being debated, and new cases could be sentenced there if they come up.

The Government has also launched a youth justice review to be headed by Professor Megan Davis and Kathryn McMillan QC.

“I believe these two people working together, both who have shown a very keen interest in undertaking this review, will be able to look at these issues and to make recommendations to bring forward in a report on November 30,” Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath said.

The Opposition will not say if it supports the bill.

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said his team had been ignored when it tried to line up briefings.

Mr Nicholls has told the ABC that it looks like a knee-jerk reaction.

“That's just not good enough when you're dealing with a very complex system,” he said.

“It's unreasonable for the Government to make a demand for support at a time when we haven't even had the opportunity of seeing the legislation.”