A legislative amendment that will defer all wage increases expected in 2020/21 was introduced to state parliament by Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace on Tuesday.

"We recognise and deeply appreciate the hard work and dedication of Queensland's public sector workers, especially those working on the frontline to fight against COVID-19," she told the House.

More than 100,000 Queenslanders are out of work or on reduced hours and incomes due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Grace said this meant needing to look at how public sector finances could be best directed to support jobs and drive an economic recovery.

"To be clear, the amendments apply only to Queensland's public sector, there will be no impact on local government or other state system workers.

"We are not asking the public sector to do anything that members of parliament, ministerial staff, senior public service will not be asked to do."

There will be no performance-based payments to chief and senior executives of government-owned water, energy and transport corporations or its statutory authorities in 2020/21.

The new arrangements will honour current wage agreements but delay them.

Under a deal struck between the state government and the Australian Workers' Union, whose members include hospital cleaning staff and orderlies, wage increases will be deferred until early 2022, meaning they will receive a 5 per cent pay rise that year.

"This comes in addition to the existing commitment to pay your 2019 wage increase with back pay until last September," the AWU said in a statement on Monday.

"Only a few months ago, the Queensland government unilaterally announced a wage freeze, putting your pay rise and sign-on bonus at risk."

But the Queensland Teachers' Union says it has been excluded from meetings.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said that was not true.

The union will ballot its members on how to respond, leaving the door open to either striking, agreeing with the freeze or work bans to address workload.

Meanwhile, government ministers have fired pot-shots across the chamber at Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington.

The member for Nanango on Monday survived attempts by the Liberal National Party organisation to push her from the top job, just months ahead of a state election.

Focus among LNP MPs has now shifted to party president David Hutchinson.

He holds the party job alongside his position as a property adviser to businessman Clive Palmer, whose conservative leaning Palmer United Party could take votes from the LNP base.

A spokesman for Mr Palmer said Mr Hutchison is working on the mining magnate's extensive property portfolio.

Australian Associated Press