LNP wants health checks for preschool kids to ‘turn their life around’

New hearing, vision and speech development checks will be available to all preschool children in Queensland if the LNP forms government after this weekend’s election.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli says the $27.5 million policy will improve education and health, while reducing youth crime over the long term.

“We want to make sure we give every chance for a young person to turn their life around,” he told reporters next to the sandpit at Townsville Montessori Early Learning Centre on Monday.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli pledged $27 million to kindergarten health screenings at Townsville.Credit: William Davis

“It’s clear that if a child can’t see, can’t hear or speak they’re going to get disengaged with the education system and that will lead to outcomes that aren’t the best … and increases the likelihood of them falling through the cracks.”

Under the proposal, tests would be done through approved kindergartens from 2025. Those in need of additional support would receive check-ups in year 1, 3 and 5.

Speaking from Cairns, Premier Steven Miles dubbed the announcement a “cheap knock-off version” of existing screenings bundled into Labor’s children’s health package launched in June.

“Twenty-seven million dollars won’t get you a lot of healthcare, but our ‘putting Queensland kids first’ plan is a $500 million investment,” he said.

Crisafulli with a car covered in fingerprint dust after a reported break-in at Ram’s Motor Repairs in Rockhampton. Credit: William Davis

Of the half-a-billion investment, a “significant portion” went towards increasing health checks for infants and young children, such as prenatal SIDS-prevention classes and almost $10 million into early hearing screenings and checks.

“They’ve suggested health and development checks for kids at kindy, our plan involves eight health and development checks for kids between birth and prep,” Miles said on Monday.

“This announcement by the LNP is effectively to cut seven of those checks.”

After a brief stint making playdough figurines with toddlers in front of the press pack, Crisafulli capped off another crime-focused day with a stop at a motor repairs in Rockhampton.

The small business had been repeatedly targeted by criminals in recent months, causing thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.

Labor, meanwhile, added a $5.2 million commitment to its regional healthcare pledge laundry list – promising a dedicated mobile dental service regions around Cairns, in the state’s far north.

Miles added a dental truck for the Cape York region, the latest announcement in a suite of rural healthcare pledges with member for Cook Cynthia Lui.Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt

The party expected the multimillion-dollar investment would bolster existing Royal Flying Doctor Service dental capabilities for remote communities, covering parts of Cape York in the dry season, and areas west of Cairns in the wet season.

The government said the pledge followed indications residents in the area were unable to access adequate dental services, causing a high number of preventable hospitalisations from untreated dental issues.

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