Another $500m for families as Queensland election draws closer

More than $500 million will be allocated in the Queensland budget to a series of programs and initiatives aimed at improving early childhood services and the transition to school.

The package includes $65.5 million for health home visits, $55.6 million for enhanced child development services, $42 million for family support co-ordinators in primary schools and $29.9 million for early childhood coordinators.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles and his deputy, Treasurer Cameron Dick.Credit: Jono Searle

Another $26.2 million will be spent extending free kindergarten to 30 hours in selected communities.

It comes after the Miles government this week announced a free school breakfast and lunch initiative.

Against the backdrop of a youth crime crisis, Premier Steven Miles in January announced a draft plan he called “Putting Queensland Kids First”.

“I believe all Queensland kids deserve to have the best start in life, no matter their postcode, background or the amount of money in their parent’s bank account,” Miles said at the time.

The funding package will help deliver the final strategy.

Treasurer Cameron Dick will hand down the state budget on June 11 and last week sought to lower expectations about the bottom line.

Despite polls predicting a Liberal National Party victory at the October state election, Miles said he still believed Labor could hold power.

“The election is still 148-odd days away,” Miles told journalists on Friday.

“I am working hard every day to do what Queenslanders ask of me.”