QUEENSLAND has been warned it could face legal action by the commonwealth if it refuses to release documents to a Senate inquiry into the controversial Traveston Dam.

At a public hearing in Brisbane yesterday of the Senate rural and regional affairs committee inquiry, Labor senators joined their Coalition and Greens counterparts in attacking the secrecy around the Beattie Government's $1.7 billion dam.

Labor senator Claire Moore described information given to people affected by the dam's construction as "rubbery at best". Senator Moore said people had complained to the committee that they were being denied access to information affecting their lives.

Liberal senator Ian MacDonald said Noosa Shire Council had been waiting five months for technical information about the dam, which the state Government had promised to provide.

"In a public and transparent process, there is no reason why that information should not be available," Senator MacDonald said.

When West Australian Greens senator Rachel Siewert tabled a list of state government documents that the committee wanted, Queensland Co-ordinator-General Ken Smith said some might not be available because they had been part of Cabinet considerations.

His comment prompted a threat of legal action from Liberal senator Russell Trood.

"There are rules relating to the Senate about the release of documents and you should pay close attention to those rules," Senator Trood said.

Mr Smith said the state Government would consider what information it could provide legally.

In other evidence, Senator Trood questioned a panel of nine senior Queensland public servants who fronted the inquiry about why the Traveston site was selected.

Source: The Australian