LNP stands firm on north Qld teen curfew

The Liberal National Party is stand firm on its plan to impose a night curfew on teenagers in two north Queensland cities.

The opposition is running its state election campaign on law and order in the tropical north, where it says crime is out of control.

Under the LNP's planned trial teenagers caught on the streets of Townsville and Cairns during curfew will be detained at community centres.

Parents will also be fined $250 each time one of their children is detained.

Academics, child advocates and civil rights groups have condemned the plan, but LNP leader Deb Frecklington is digging in.

"When you've got an 87-year-old woman in Cairns getting held up by either a 12 to a 14-year-old there is a problem," she said.

"These kids must be kept safe, and that is why we are we are looking at trialling this program.

"If kids are on the streets at midnight, there is a problem."

Edith Cowan University's Trudi Cooper warned that curfews were expensive and it would be cheaper to run a community-led Indigenous night patrol.

The Queensland Council of Civil Liberties said a curfew would punish all young people and be open to abuse.

QCCL president Terry O'Gorman said fining parents would breach criminal law in making them liable for the actions of a third party.

"The proposal to fine parents whose children breach the curfew is equally absurd," Mr O'Gorman said.

"No parent has complete control over their children."

The LNP leader made an $80 million pledge to open up 30,000 extra before and after school care places on Thursday.

The money will be used to upgrade state school facilities, train staff and set up an administrative office.

Ms Frecklington said the plan will reduce living costs and help parents get back to work.

"With long daycare centres, you have to pay for seven to eight or nine hours, irrespective of the hours that your kids are in care and that's a very expensive process," she said.

Ms Palaszczuk promised $40 million to improve Great Barrier Reef protections and tourism.

The premier also kicked off at Deputy Prime Minister John McCormack calling her inland highway proposal a "thought bubble".

Ms Palaszczuk is annoyed by his response to the plan, which is supported by regional mayors and the trucking industry.

"Sorry isn't he from the National Party, I mean honestly, this is about freight," she told reporters on Thursday.

"This is about freight being taken off the Bruce Highway, making sure that it can get from destinations and saving four hours of travel time."

The premier called on the Morrison government to stump up the funds.

"We've heard in the past that the federal government doesn't support Queensland," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"We've seen the extra billions of dollars going to Victoria, the extra billions of dollars going to NSW - I am simply asking for our fair share."

Labor's received a funding boost of its own with the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining And Energy Union coming back into the fold.

The union publicly split with Labor two months ago, but donated $14,000 to the party on Tuesday.

Clive Palmer's company Mineralogy also tipped another $1.7 million into his United Australia Party.

Queenslanders polling day is set for October 31.