Retired District Court judge Michael Forde will have access to secret cabinet documents as part of an investigation into Queensland's beleaguered new train fleet.
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Mr Forde has been appointed to head an inquiry into the procurement of the New Generation Rollingstock trains and their failure to comply with disability laws.
His appointment was approved by cabinet on Monday morning.
Mr Forde will be able to access documents involved in the procurement process including technical specifications, design approvals and cabinet documents.
He will begin his inquiry in August and report to the government with recommendations late in 2018.
Mr Forde's full terms of reference will be released once approved by Executive Council.
Both sides of politics have thrown blame on the other for the problems with the $4.4 billion NGR.
The trains have disability access issues, including the toilets and pathways being too small for wheelchairs.
In March, the Human Rights Commission denied the state a temporary exemption to disability discrimination laws, but Queensland Rail decided to keep the trains on the tracks.
The Queensland government had asked for an exemption for three years while it fixed the problems with the trains.
Ordered from Bombardier under the previous LNP government, the first NGR trains were due to be operational in mid-2016, but after the discovery of significant issues, including problems with braking, airconditioning, sight lines for drivers and disability access, delivery was halted in March 2017.
The Human Rights Commission questioned why the LNP Newman government procured non-compliant trains in 2013 and why the Palaszczuk Labor government had not fixed the problems before they entered passenger service in 2017.
The exemption refusal meant people with a disability had the right to bring a legal complaint under the Disability Discrimination Act.
A spokesman for Bombardier said the company maintained its original position that the NGR trains were built to the specifications provided at the time.
"The trains were designed in Queensland by a very dedicated team of industry professionals, and they've been built especially for Queensland commuters," he said.
Labor's first televised attack ad before last year's state election targeted former LNP leader Tim Nicholls over the NGR.
The government announced integrated services company Downer would fix the trains at Maryborough, with about $100 million to be spent making them disability-compliant.
Mr Forde last year led an inquiry into the operation of the tow truck industry in Queensland.
