Steven Miles promises free state primary school lunches for every Queensland student if Labor wins election
Premier Steven Miles has promised free school lunches for every Queensland primary school student, just one day before polls open in the state election campaign.
The Labor leader made the announcement in front of party faithful, at the Labor election campaign launch in North Lakes on Sunday.
It’s the second cost-of-living promise of the weekend. On Saturday, Miles announced a plan to build 50 state owned clinics to be rented to private GPs on condition they are bulk-billed.
“This is what I have always wanted to do to deliver alongside 50c public transport fares because it means more of our young people will have a chance to achieve their dreams,” Miles said, to furious applause.
The polls open tomorrow. The last ballots will be cast on 26 October. The LNP opposition has been ahead in the polls and the favourite of bookies for months.
Under the policy, free healthy school lunches will be available for all state primary school students from prep to year 6.
The party argues the policy would save parents about $1,600 pr child each year.
Miles said long-term studies suggest that universal free school lunches lower social inequality, lift women’s participation in the workforce and help to prevent childhood obesity.
An evaluation of similar programs showed a return on investment of 2.5 times to 7 times their cost, he said.
“We all want kids to have the best start in life – and they learn best with full tummies,” Miles said.
The policy is expected to cost about $1.4 billion.
Saturday’s GP announcement would cost about $365 million. On Sunday, Miles called it the “biggest intervention in primary care of any state or territory ever”.