In a speech to the federal parliament on Monday, Mr Abbott said Australians may see their freedoms restricted under new legislation.

But Mr Newman, whose own government took a hardline approach to dealing with organised crime gangs and suffered a backlash in the polls as a result, said Mr Abbott needed to tread carefully.

"I think that any changes to the laws relating to the current disturbing situation need to be justified to the Queensland and Australian community and I would urge that that happen," he said.

"It's important that the community understand what the level of threat has been and why any new laws are required and that's something we talked about in Cabinet this morning [Monday].

"It's very important that the community understand any rationale, any reasoning behind changes to the law."

On Monday, Mr Abbott discussed legislation seeking to address the nation's terror threats.

"Regrettably, for some time to come, Australians will have to endure more security than we're used to, and more inconvenience than we'd like," Mr Abbott said.

"Regrettably, for some time to come, the delicate balance between freedom and security may have to shift."

Mr Newman said he was yet to see the legislation and had not received any requests from the federal government to alter Queensland law.

"We put in place the laws that we were asked to by the Commonwealth and by the Queensland Police Service [for the G20], so we've already done that. I've had no information or any request to change anything that we've already done," he said.

"... What I do say though is that I'm more than happy to look at [the federal government's counter-terrorism legislation] of course and at this troubling time we need strong laws to protect Australians and all Queenslanders, but before I comment on the specifics of the federal Attorney-General and the Prime Minister's legislation, I'd need to see it."

Mr Newman had already warned Queenslanders they would see an increase in security and an impact on their day-to-day life under the elevated terror threat.  Last week, it was discovered the state came within days of a terrorist attack, which was "thwarted" following the arrest of two Logan men on terror-related charges earlier this month.