THE former boss of an agricultural lobby group will head a commission into Queensland's divisive coal seam gas industry.

Former AgForce chairman John Cotter has been appointed to oversee the Liberal National Party government's new Gasfields Land and Water Commission.

Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney said the previous Labor government failed to mitigate the industry's negative reputation.

"There has been a loss of confidence in some sections of the community and we want to restore that," he told reporters in Toowoomba.

"Anyone who's concerned about an impact from this industry will be able to talk to John and his fellow commissioners and express their concerns."

The commission will be given access to all information gathered by Queensland's scientific advisory panel, including research by mining companies, universities and the CSIRO.

Reliable information was "struggling to be heard" above extremist Green views, he said.

"I think CSG and agriculture can co-exist and I think they have to co-exist.

"It's always going to be fraught with difficulties but the two industries are both so important to Queensland that we have to make this work and work well."

The commission will report to Mr Seeney, but will also have "a degree of independence".

Mr Seeney could not say what "power and clout" the commission would be given, nor who the other commissioners would be.

"I very deliberately haven't been too prescriptive because I want this commission to be built by community input.

"What powers do they think the commission should have to give them the confidence they deserve?"

The government will take advice from the commission on changes to resource industry regulations.

Mr Seeney denied the Newman government was simply re-creating other similar commissions and panels.

He said he "struggled to see the worth" of the federal government's CSG scientific advisory body.

"The government in Canberra set it up for political purposes," he said.

"It's hard to see what power it has and it's hard to see what purpose it serves.

"We will ensure that here in Queensland we have a purpose."

Mr Cotter will start meeting with stakeholders from this week, but the commission won't be operational until July 1.